So Long, Old Friend

Last week marked the closing of Hoosier Beer Geek's original haunt, the bar/restaurant once known as Deano's Vino.


Our history with Deano's stretches way back to November of 2006 (KOTBR #6) - a time so far back that Deano's served as our formal introduction to IPAs. Far from just a wine bar, Deano's was on the city's forefront of bringing a good variety of craft beer to thirsty visitors. HBG founder Chris - never a stranger to enthusiasm - had this to say back then:

The atmosphere is fantastic, the staff are super-friendly and very knowledgeable, the beer list is out of this world, and the food is pretty damn good, too. If you haven't been there yet, I say this is THE essential new restaurant/bar in the 317 to check out. I can promise that many more reviews from the KOTBR will come to you from Deano's.

His "more reviews to come from Deano's" statement was certainly accurate - we eventually roundtabled at Deano's another seven times, making it the location we've visited most when reviewing a beer.



This isn't to say that Deano's was without flaws - the friendly, but more than casual attitude of the staff was sure to put off those who weren't regulars. The food, while tasty, may have been overpriced. The loss of ownership partner / wine guy / excitement magnet Deano Wilson certainly wasn't a good sign.

It was hard not to notice that the folks who had been regulars slowly trickled off - be it the newer competition in the neighborhood or just the loss of a vibe - but each consequent visit seemed a little sadder - like visiting a dying friend in a hospital. The bar tried a name change and a menu tweaking, but it was hard to ignore the wine bottles coming off the walls and the beer menu shrinking. Once the stench of failure set into the place it seemed like it was only a matter of time.


It was a sad finish for a place that always treated us well. Our first anniversary party at Deano's was our introduction to our audience, and it was at Deano's that we gave our only ever perfect beer score. Deano's was our default New Year's party location, and the first bar that I ever felt like a regular at. I wish more people would have seen it the way we did. The good times we shared won't soon be forgotten.

Our thoughts go out to the staff and ownership - it was a good run, and here's hoping greener pastures await you.

Stop In And See Us

This is just a reminder about the little party we'll be putting on tomorrow night. Remember: THERE'S NO COVER. So even if you just stop in on your way somewhere else, we'd be happy to see you.

The beer list:

Koningshoeven Quadruple - A 10% Koningshoeven Quad

Boulder Hazed and Infused - A dry hopped Pale Ale

Sun King Java Mac - The coffee infused version of Sun King's Wee Mac Scottish Style Brown Ale has been a huge hit with Indianapolis area drinkers.

Sun King Pale Ale firkin - Cask beer! A beer geek's delight.

Buffet (Starting at 10:30pm) - $15
Navy Bean and Prosciutto Ham Soup
Chicken Jambalaya with Rice
Stewed Moroccan Vegetable Soup
Fried White Fish (Pollack)

See you there!

KOTBR #76 - Do This In Memory of Jim

The original plans for Roundtable #76 - a Fountain Square pubcrawl - were set in motion by none other than our beloved Jim:

Here are my thoughts--

6:30ish - Dinner and beer @ Siam Square.

Then to the Brass Ring (which, when I last checked, had Two Hearted on tap and some other craft stuff in bottles) and then a nightcap at Deano's. Sound okay? Feel free to disagree/make other suggestions.

--Jim

It sounds like a fine idea to us, so we ran with it. And everything was going smoothly until the day before the event:

My head is so full of snot from this cold that I'm going to bail on the roundtable this evening. I can neither smell nor taste at this point. Sorry all.

--Jim

Obviously, we were heartbroken. But instead of canceling the crawl, we soldiered on, keeping Jim in our hearts. And as we worked our way through the night, it almost felt as though Jim were with us the whole way. We also learned that absence really does make the heart grow fonder. It was with these stirring feeling in our hearts that we decided that KOTBR #76 would be a tribute to Jim.

* * * * *
KOTBR Jim was born a very long time ago somewhere in Indiana. Jim was a bright student, and quickly made his way through all levels of school, eventually earning his law degree. He had a stellar record in the courtroom, which helped pave his way to a career as a professor of law at Ivy Tech.


KOTBR Jim - Ewell vs. Robinson, 1812.
Much like Jim, Avery White Rascal appears cloudy, light yellow and banana-y looking. It has a scent of oranges, peaches, and a citrus grove reminding me of the air freshener that Jim likes to use in his classroom at Ivy Tech. Like the beers Jim loves, Avery White Rascal is fizzier than expected but just a hint of creaminess on the finish. This beer is a great representation of one of Jim's favorite styles, the Belgian White Ale brewed with Spices. Much like the doughy bread that Jim likes to eat during his favorite Jewish holiday season, Christmas, it is quite yeasty and highly spiced. It's an amazingly drinkable for Avery and I give it 3.8 mugs. A great accompaniment to my Red Curry with Tofu.



Avery White Rascal
Rod: 3.75 Mugs | Jess: 3.8 Mugs | Chris: 3.8 Mugs | Gina: 2.95 Mugs | Mike: 2.99 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.75 Mugs

* * * * *
Although Jim loved lawyering, he felt that work alone was no way to lead a fulfilling life. With that in mind, he began the next step in his life by becoming a devout follower of Jewishness.


KOTBR Jim - Jewish Place, 1971.
Our second stop of the evening was at the Brass Ring bar to review Bell’s Two Hearted Ale. When Jim is not celebrating his Jewishness, he loves to stop in this place because it reminds him of the time he spent as a swing dancer back in the 50’s. And he loves Two Hearted because its pine and citrus aromas are reminiscent of the time he spent as a lumberjack in the Cascade Mountains. Both of these activities were a solid foundation for Jim’s time with Manchester United. 4.25 Mugs.


Bell's Two Hearted
Chris: 5.0 Mugs | Gina: 4.25 Mugs | Rodney: 4.25 Mugs | Jess: 4.6 Mugs | Mike: 3.75 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 4.38 Mugs

* * * * *
Of course no man lives a life of servitude alone, and Jim found that watching football was a suitable escape. In 2008, his acts of devotion came to the attention of Manchester United Football Club. He joined his beloved Reds for their team photo, and served as an inspiration to the club as they earned their record 11th Premiership title.


KOTBR Jim - Manchester United, 2008.
When we arrived at our final destination for the night, we had three beers to choose from - Bell's Oberon, Spaten Lager and Franziskaner Hefe Weiss. Now those of you who don't know Jim might be interested to learn that he was big into punk music in the 80s. Punk is the American form of German Synthpop (think Dieter on Sprockets) and it's Jim's favorite music. On top of that, Jim also had an opportunity to play for his favorite German football team, Manchester United. For these two reasons, I was incredibly excited to see two German beers on tap at Deano's. I went with the summery Frankziskaner Hefe Weiss, which is brewed by Spaten as well. This beer smells like a fresh baked banana cream pie with slight hints of acetone. The mouthfeel is slightly heavy for a German Hefe Weiss. Flavors of banana chips, cream, simple syrup, cinnamon and orange all round out this classic, yeasty Hefe Weiss. Come to think of it, I don't even know if Jim likes bananas, so he might not like this. But I do know that he loves German Synthpop and German football, and that's good enough for me. This is a great summer beer and I give it 4.20 mugs.



Franziskaner Weissbier
Mike: 3.64 Mugs | Gina: 3.90 Mugs | Jess: 3.90 Mugs | Rodney: 4.20 Mugs
KOTBR Score: 3.93 Mugs

* * * * *
Our palates satisfied, and our hearts filled with love, we bid each other adieu. We went home with Jim in our minds, knowing that sometimes memories are almost as good as the real thing.

Here's to you Jim - Our favorite law-professing, Jewishness-studying, swing-dancing, cascade-mountain-lumberjacking, German-football-and-dance-music-enjoying Knight of the Beer Roundtable. You're a five mugger in our hearts.

New Years Party at Deano's Vino - Recap

Thanks to everyone who came out to our New Year's party at Deano's Vino. We hope you had a good time, and we'd love to hear your thoughts.

We'd also like to thank Bob Ostrander from IndianaBeer.com, and the folks at Brugge Beer, who once again came through for us in a big way with the gift of THUNDERMONKEY. You're better to us than we deserve.

Reminder: HBG New Year's Party at Deano's Vino tomorrow

Hopefully you're already planning on attending, but just in case you're not - don't forget our New Year's Party at Deano's Vino (1112 Shelby St, Indianapolis (317) 423-3154) tomorrow night! Even if you're on your way somewhere else, no cover means it's easy to stop on in and have a pint or two.

We'll be kicking things at off at 9PM in our special way with limited pours of Dogfish 120 Minute IPA and Delirium Tremens ($10/pour), an all you can eat buffet ($15), and DJ Phil.

Hope to see you there.

Details of the Hoosier Beer Geek New Years Party at Deano's Vino

We know you've been anxiously awaiting the details of our New Years party at Deano's Vino.

This just in!

Michael,

We finally have the beers worked out for New Year's Eve. I hope it is to your liking:

On tap at opening:
Brugge White
Bells Two-Hearted
Dogfish India Brown Ale

At 9 PM we will take the Brugge and the Bells off and put on Delirium Tremens and Dogfish 120 Minute IPA

These are both mini-kegs (about 60 pours each), so once they are gone, we will put the Brugge and the Bells back on.

Looking forward to seeing everyone. If you have any other questions, just let me know!

So there you have it - our new year's party will have two limited run huge beers. A word of warning: these will be $10 pours.

I know what you're thinking: "Ten dollars!?!?!?" I was thinking that too, at first. A few things to consider: 1) It's New Year, and our party has no cover charge. 2) Dogfish 120 and Delirium Tremens normally go for a pretty steep price - a bottle of 120 at a local retailer shows $8.99 on their website. In fact, 120 goes for $10.50 at Dogfish Head's own alehouse in Falls Church, VA. And Delirium Tremens retails for near $10 a bottle¹.

These are not normally cheap beers. And it's new year! Have one big beer, and enjoy the $4.50 Brugge, Bells, and Dogfish India Brown for the rest of the night. Or drink yourself into a stupor. It's New Year!

Another thing to remember - Deano's has an extensive and very reasonable priced beer list. So no matter what you're after (even if it's PBR...), Deano's can take care of you.

So that's it - No excuses! Come on out - 9 PM, December 31st, Deano's Vino, Fountain Square.

Beer details:

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
Too extreme to be called beer? Brewed to a colossal 45-degree plato, boiled for a full 2 hours while being continuously hopped with high-alpha American hops, then dry-hopped daily in the fermenter for a month & aged for another month on whole-leaf hops!!! Our 120 Minute I.P.A. is by far the biggest I.P.A. ever brewed!

At 20% abv and 120 ibus you can see why we call this beer THE HOLY GRAIL for hopheads!

20% abv
120 ibu
In case you care... the average 12 oz. serving has 450 calories.

Delirium Tremens
On December 26th 1989, the famous "Delirium Tremens" was born. The particular character and the unique taste of "Delirium Tremens" result from the use of three different kinds of yeast. Its very original packing, which resembles cologne ceramics, and the colourful label contribute to its success. The label depicts the different phases of the production of "Delirium Tremens" the "Pink Elephant" was up and ready to conquer the world. To celebrate the bicentennial of the French Revolution in 1989, the topical beer "La Guillotine" was launched.

9.0% abv

Brugge White
Brugge White has a quenching tart background with sweet fruity finish reminiscent of tangerine and lemon.

Seafood on the menu? Pasta night? Or maybe you just finished mowing the lawn?
White is the answer to all these questions.

Ted’s Take: “This beer is ridiculously delicious!”

4.5% abv

Bell's Two-Hearted
India Pale Ale style well suited for Hemingway-esque trips to the Upper Peninsula. American malts and enormous hop additions give this beer a crisp finish and incredible floral hop aroma.

7.0% abv

Dogfish Head India Brown Ale
A cross between a Scotch Ale, an I.P.A., and an American Brown, this beer is well-hopped and malty at the same time. It is brewed with Aromatic barley and caramelized brown sugar.

7.2% abv

* * * * *

¹Granted, it's a big bottle.

Updates from Hoosier Beer Geek, Deano's Vino, and World Class Beverages

First off, here's this:

Hey fellas (and ladies),
If you haven't heard, Deano's Vino (1112 Shelby St, Indianapolis (317) 423-3154‎) is hosting a Three Floyd's Alpha Klaus release party this Saturday (12/6/08) night. On tap will be Alpha Klaus, Alpha King, and Pride and Joy. Deano will be doing his Alpha Klaus imitation, a bit of a twist on Santa. Good beer, giveaways, etc, etc.

Travis from Three Floyds as well as folks from World Class will be on hand as well for the festivities.

Get the word out!!

Matt Clapseattle
Sales Representative Indianapolis
World Class Beverages
NBWA/BA Craft Beer Distributor of the Year, 2007-2008

In addition to that news, we'd like to let it be known that we, the fine folks at Hoosier Beer Geek, will once again be hosting a New Year's party at Deano's. We're still working on the beer list, but you can count on three taps of fine beer, a reasonably priced all-you-can-eat buffet, and NO COVER CHARGE.

Our party last year was a smashing success, and we look forward to doing it all again this year. So keep your eyes peeled for more details, which we'll be hitting your over the head with during the entire month of December.

Random Beer Roundup - Jennifer Lopez snubs Heidi Klum Edition

Welcome to another edition of the Random Beer Roundup brought to you by TRESemme hair products and the Bluefly accessory wall¹. Were you looking for beer inventory listings? No one sent me anything this week. Maybe next week. But don't go just yet..

Here's something:

Kirk at Mr. G's (2209 E. Connor, Noblesville) with this update: We have 3 Floyds Moloko in.

Awesome.

And now this:

Mike at J. Gumbo's reports that he has the only keg of Three Floyds Munsterfest (a Marzen/Oktoberfest) in central Indiana. Until it runs out.

* * * * *

Don't forget tonight's B+ART event at Big Car in Fountain Square. Free Beer!

Luckily they all lived to tell the tale:

On Thursday September 4th one of Upland Brewing Co.’s oak barrels exploded during the bottling process. Fortunately no one was severely hurt, though one employee was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. However, nearly all of the highly-anticipated Kiwi Lambic batch was lost in the accident. Only a few cases were bottled before the explosion occurred. There will be four cases (48 bottles) available to individual consumers. The first 48 individuals who reserved Kiwi Lambic will each receive one bottle only.

No Kiwi Lambic will be available for wholesale distribution or for sale through the brew pub due to the accident.

Speaking of that lambic..

LAMBIC RELEASE DATE SET
Wednesday October 1st will be the Lambic Release Party at the brewery and also the first day you’ll be able to pick up your order. The brew pub opens at 11 am and reservations will be available at this time for carry-out only. Beginning at 5 pm, patrons will be able to order Lambic for consumption in the brew pub.

It's not beer but they mix well...

Elwood, Indiana's New Day Meadery has put out a call for volunteers:

We have just found out that the plums are ripe and ready to be turned into our coveted Semi-Sweet Plum Honey Wine. This means we're having a PITTING PARTY this Saturday (September 20th) starting at Noon here at the shop.

Every luscious plum is pitted by hand...and do we need A LOT of hands to get the job done! PLEASE email or call to let us know if you're willing to lend a hand and be a part of creating something great. Our email is contact@newdaymeadery.com and our number is 765-552-3433.

Feel free to pass this email onto ANYONE you know that might enjoy getting into the PITTING PARTY. As a thank you to all of our volunteers, each one (21 years or over) will take home a bottle of their choosing! So please come on out and join us this Saturday, we'd love to see you!

Random things Chris picked up:

1. Rock Bottom Rocktoberfest tapping is (well, was) Thursday at 6pm.

2. I popped into J. Gumbos for a beer last night. Mike was doing his Monday bartending gig and mentioned that he's going to be getting Schlafly Pumpkin Ale. I think he said he would be sending out an email when it goes on tap. (We'll let you know if we hear anything)

3. ..something else Mike said last night about Mad Anthony IPA (which I think is brewed exclusively with cascade hops). You've probably heard Mike mention that he's the only place in Indiana where you can get Mad Anthony IPA on tap. I always assumed there was an implicit "except for the Mad Anthony restaurants" in there. Apparently not. The MA restaurants do sporadically have it on as a special but J. Gumbo's is literally the only place that regularly gets kegs. Everytime they bottle a batch of their IPA for 6 packs, they also fill a couple kegs for Mike so he can keep it on tap.

Our old friend Traci says hello:

The Fickle Peach in Muncie has had Magic Hat #9 for quite some time. You guys need to take a road trip to Muncie.

Is Rodenbach Grand Cru on tap anywhere in Indy? Heorot in Muncie picked it up a couple of weeks ago. The only other place I've seen it on tap is the Map Room in Chicago.

Anyone seen it? Anywhere? Leave a comment.

Advanced warning for Saturday 9/27: Indianapolis residents and beer lovers can fill their Saturday calendar on 9/27/08. Start the day at Fountain Square's Masterpiece in a Day, head over to Deano's Vino for the 5th Annual Bratoberfest, then head on over to Beautiful Irvington and Ellingburger Park for the Circle City Socialites Rollerderby League Coming Out Party. Our very on Kelly.. er..uh.. I mean Screama Donna will be participating. Gina (ie Extra Special Bitter) would be joining her but decided to break her leg instead. GOOD TIMES.

* * * * *

Interested in having your events, taps, or new beer inventory listed on Hoosier Beer Geek? It won't cost you anything. Except love. Drop us a line at hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com.

* * * * *

¹This is not an actual endorsement. It's a Project Runway reference. I am secure in my manhood.

Join us tomorrow as we chase the snakes from Deano's Vino

This is just the last reminder that our first Hoosier Beer Geek St. Patty's party is taking place tomorrow (3/15) at 6PM at Deano's Vino in Fountain Square.

What's in store? Great beer at fair prices. For those of you who have concerns over pint costs (which was a problem at our last event), I can assure you that nothing coming out of the taps tomorrow (Three Floyd's Brian Boru Irish Red, Barley Island Black Majic Java Stout, and Rouge's Brutal Bitter) will be more than $5.

Having sampled the beer last night, I feel pretty good saying that it's great stuff. So come on out, say hello, and get your St. Patty's on a little early this year.

Wabash Valley On Tap

The word on the street is that Wabash Valley Brewery is getting ready to start shipping, and they're kicking off by distributing a few kegs around town for sampling.

For those of you who aren't familiar with these beers, this article from the Terre Haute TribStar provides details:

The new Wabash Valley beers will be “a little bit toned down, lighter on the body with flavors that wouldn’t offend” consumers who’ve not ventured beyond the big three, said Micah Weichert, the head brewer for the Vigo Brewing Group.

Weichert, along with Brugge mastermind Ted Miller, crafted the recipes for the five Wabash Valley beers.

Deano's is getting a keg tomorrow either of the Gangster Pale Ale or the Wabash Cannonball Porter. Samples are free, pints are $3 bucks. Stop buy and let Nick know what you think about the beer so he can report back to the guys at Wabash Valley.

Our New Year's Party keeps getting better

Not long after I sent out the New Year's invite, I received an email from Ted Miller of Brugge Beer/Brasserie, in which he suggested that maybe we'd like to try on a "delectable little pilot brew from the TH plant. It's a Strong Belgian Blonde thing. I know you've got another Strong Belgian Blonde thing on that night, but I thought that might be kinda fun."

I'd agree.

So near midnight we'll introduce a Hoosier Beer Geek first - A Hoosier Beer Geek 2007 Commemorative Ale - Sint Sylvester Vooranvond from Brugge Beer.

What's the "Sint" about? Let's consult the sacred-texts.com

In Belgium, New Year’s Eve is called Sint Sylvester Vooranvond, Saint Sylvester Eve. The réveillon, or New Year’s Eve family party is thrown. At midnight everyone kisses, exchanges good luck greetings, and drinks toasts to absent relatives and friends. The cities, cafés, and restaurants are crowded with people who bid farewell to the Old Year.

"Sylvester" is the nickname popularly applied to the lazy boy or girl who rises last on the final day of the year. Since "Sylvesters" traditionally have to pay a forfeit to their brothers and sisters, each child tries to be first to bound out of bed on the morning of December 31.

Girls, especially, try to be industrious on this day because of the old saying that one who does not finish her handwork by sunset will remain an old maid throughout the year.

There are going to be a lot of drunk people on NYE . . .

After talking with Nick at Deano's yesterday, I can tell you the draft line-up for our New Year's Eve Party - and I think a lot of you will be interested.

In Keg #1, we have the HBG special request - Three Floyd's Alpha Klaus.

In Keg #2, we will have something from Larry Bell - either Two-Hearted or Hopslam.

In Keg #3, direct from Belgium, Delirium Tremens.

Deano's will be serving dinner, too, so come eat some grub and get drunk with us. Or go eat elsewhere, then come get drunk with us. Chef Jody is planning to have some late-night sobering-up food out for consumption, too. They're also more than happy to call you a cab.

"Hoppy" New Year's

We don't have all the details yet, but we just confirmed that Hoosier Beer Geek will be hosting a New Year's Eve Party at Deano's Vino in Fountain Square. We're picking the keg again, a la Anniversary Party, so you know it's going to be good! Go ahead and plan on joining us as we bring in the next Leap/Summer Olympics/Presidential Election Year!

Any suggestions on the beer? Options can be found by typing the word "keg" into World Class Beverages' Indiana Beer finder.

Props to Deano's - The Kronie is Gone!

I've been going to Deano's pretty regularly for a year now. And of the three beers they have on tap, one has always been Kronenberg 1664 - dubbed "The Kronie", a light lager that I, and most people, think taste like ass. If ass can taste that bad. So we've been bitching non-stop for a year to take it off and put something good on. But Deano has always prevented Nick from doing it because it's one of Deano's favorite beers. What do you expect from someone who also drinks Strongbow??

Anyway, I'm glad to announce and give props to Nick for FINALLY taking the Kronie off and putting a third good beer on tap. As of right now, the line-up consists of Three Floyds' Alpha King, Bell's Amber, and Rogue's Dead Guy Ale. Now we can again say that Deano's is the original home of the Hoosier Beer Geek!

Roundtable #29 - Full House

The Hoosier Beer Geeks (left to right): Jason, Kelly, Jim, Gina, Brent, Mike, Chris
Last night's roundtable featured a HBG rarity: a full house of all 6 knights. As an added bonus, Brent showed up, and gave us free beer (You can look forward to a mini-review in a future beer diary). We visited both Badaboomz and Deano's Vino as well, so the whole event was rolling roadshow of epic proportions.

We've written about Badaboomz and Deano's before, so onto the beer. After a warmup of Dogfish 60 Minute and dinner, I settled into our featured beer from Badaboomz: Konings Hoeven Quadrupple Trappist Ale.

When Jason and I decided on this beer, we were under the false impression that it was a Belgian - and while it certainly fits the Belgian style, the beer is actually from Holland. This beer had a grapity-grape (think grape soda) nose and a dark copper color with a quickly dissipating, bubbly head. Mouthfeel was quite odd to start - it was almost as if the beer took a journey around my mouth, starting at the roof and working it's way around my tongue - almost like it was repelled from my tongue and had to work it's way there. I suppose the sensation wasn't unlike drinking champagne. This exotic mouthfeel settled down as the beer warmed.

As far as taste goes, this beer is an enigma. I did get alcohol notes, but the overall taste was really hard to pin down. This is a very sweet, sugary beer. At 10% ABV, you might expect it to be overpowering, but the dominant characteristic of Konings Hoeven is its smoothness. This is a must have if you're visiting Badaboomz and like Belgian style ales. I called it "a nice punch in the brain" and award it 4 Mugs.

Choices, Choices

Oh, snap! Two bad I can't clone myself on Saturday.

Jim and I are going to be part of the festivities at Bratoberfest on Saturday evening at Deano's. $10 gets you a beer, a brat, lots of fun, music, and the opportunity to hang out some cool beer geeks (yeah, right).

If you can't make it to Deano's, BadaBoomz's Beer Dinner sounds like it's going to kick-ass, too. Mike has decided to break out some 2004 Dark Lord Imperial Stout as the beer pairing for dessert!

Or, you can go to the dinner then come to Bratoberfest for a nightcap. It's open til 1am.

Random summary of beer

I recognize that I'm not so good about posting much anymore. When work and school doesn't have my attention, it goes to my family. And rightfully so. But I still love beer, and bringing you news about good beer. I have to apologize to my fellow Knights for not being so prompt on stuff these days.

So this is my summary of what should be several different posts.

1. Muncie rocked. We had a great time hanging out with our friends on the Good Beer Show. We're show #128, which I'm guessing will go up sometime this week. We drank a lot of high ABV beers, none of which I thought were bad. Mike told you what they are in his post. The Fickle Peach and the Heorot are both cool, and you have to check em out. Thanks Jeffrey T., Traci and the Gang! And thanks Mike for driving home!

2. I'm not too sad that I didn't get to participate in the Retro Beer Challenge Round 1. Although, Rolling Rock was the very first beer that I liked enough to finish. 11 years ago - how's that for retro? How sad is that? Dos Equis was the 2nd. Thanks Old Latrobe, PA!

3. BadaBoomz has almost free valet parking now. It's free if your bill is $30 or more. Otherwise, it's only $2. Thanks Mike!

4. Deano's is hosting Brat-toberfest on Saturday, September 15th. Music, beer, brats. What more could you ask for? Oh, yeah, we'll be there, too. On a side note, I've now hung out a Deano's the last two Friday nights, and I've just come to re-appreciate what good shits they are there. Thanks Deano, Jody, Nick, Laura, and Michelle!!

5. The Hop Shop has Bell's Batch 8000 in six packs for $13.49, Two Brothers Heliocentric Bragot in a 22oz. for $6.49, and Upland Lambics in 750 mLs for $14.99. If you don't know, The Hop Shop also has free beer tastings every Saturday until 8pm. Thanks Courtney!

6. When Jason and I were in Chicago on Monday for a Cubs vs. Cardinals, White Sox vs. Royals double header, we first stopped at this fantastic beer store in Wrigleyville. It was awesome! My favorite purchase was something I can't get in Indiana, but is one my new top three favorite beers in the whole world - Racer 5 IPA by Bear Republic in Healdsburg, CA. I bought a lot of beer. So did Jason. We now have a lot of beer. Thanks Binny's and Bear Republic!

7. My very favorite beer of all-time is the Optimator. Thanks Spaten!

I think that's all for now.

Having finally sobered up, our hero Jason finally writes his review

Ninety minutes: how long it took me to notice that Mike was gone...how long it took Chris to get drunk enough to tell everybody how much he loves them...how long it took Kelly to regret not getting a later flight the next day...how long it took Jim to get drunk enough to agree that The Breakfast Club is a chick flick (okay, that's a lie; no amount of alcohol could make Jim say that)...how long Gina was cutting a rug to the 80's music, until a Phil Collins cut let all the air out of her balloon...how long it took me to undue the little bit of weight loss I had accomplished this summer (294 calories per 12 oz. serving)...the recommended time between servings of Dogfish Head 90 Minute Double IPA.

For our one year anniversary, we wanted to pull out all the stops. And that involved selecting a beer that would be enjoyed by all and be worthy of such an event. We decided on 90 Minute. It was definitely the right choice.

As mentioned before, the crowd was big and happy. Deano's was hopping. And some of the best beer buddies in Indiana showed up. Believe me, no one year old has ever had a 1st birthday party like this!

I will be honest in saying that this is not my favorite beer in the world, but it is certainly in my top ten. I will concur with my fellow knights and give it a 5 mug rating as well. It has the hops scent and mouth kick that I like, but is balanced out with a malty sweet goodness, leaving this double IPA approachable to most everyone. From the beautiful amber color with the foamy head, to the floral aromas given by the hops, to the notes of caramelized fruits in the taste, to the extreme drinkability, this beer is a near perfect all around beer. A perfect beer geek's beer for non-beer geek gatherings.

There is a reason why birthdays only come around once a year: you need that long to recover. I still ain't right from last Thursday night.

Thanks to all who read, to all who came, and to all who helped in making our first bash and our first year a big success.

Hangovers hurt more than they used to . . .

Just a late follow-up from last Thursday, now that I finally seem to have recovered. It was a hell of a time, and has made me eagerly anticipate our 2nd birthday!

Thanks to all the people who came out (unofficial estimates between 50-60) and joined us for the party. It blew my mind to see that many folks show up for some good beer. I hope you all will continue to join us in the future.

And a special thanks to Deano and the crew for their generosity and hospitality! I think Deano was trying to get me drunk, and he took me home, but I don't think he took advantage of me! Though the later part of the night / early morning is all kinda fuzzy and not sure I remember all of it.

Thanks to Dogfish Head 90 Minute for being one kick-ass (and kick my ass) beer! Wow! I know I was drinking from a stein and all, but it's been a real long time since a beer got me in the "I love you, man" State. Without a doubt, 5 mugs!

And thanks to the guys at Peppy's Grill for serving me around 3:30 or 4 Friday morning.

Looking forward to the next year . . .

The One-Year Anniversary Party to End All One-Year Anniversary Parties

Here is what we learned last night at our one-year anniversary party:

- Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, while a phenomenal beer, should never be served in pitchers or in pint glasses.
- DJ's who spin '80's new wave music rule (thanks, DJ Brian Jones).
- Jason and Gina can cut a mean rug, especially when DJ Brian Jones is manning the turntables.
- When Chris has had enough to drink, he likes to channel a Bud Light commercial from the mid-1990's.
- Mike spent more time in the Deano's Vino parking lot than he did inside the restaurant.
- Don't leave for vacation at 6:00 a.m. on the day after a 90 Minute IPA drinking frenzy (JFK is fun, isn't it, Matt and Kelly?).
- And finally, we have lots and lots of company in this town when it comes to drinking quality beer.

Thanks to all who came out to Deano's to celebrate one year of beer geekhood with us. We enjoyed seeing old friends and making new ones. And thanks to Deano for the new drinking vessels and for hosting our little shindig.

As for the 90 Minute IPA - a perfect 5 mugs. No other beer balances hops and malt like this one. Who knew that a taste/nose combination that simultaneously evokes grapefruit and caramel could result in such an unbelievably good beer?