Before CANvitational, get to know WISEACRE Brewing Co.!

WISEACRE Brewing Company is joining us for CANvitational this year! Brothers Davin & Kellan Bartosch have been on an extensive quest procuring top-notch experience from around the globe to deliver the best brewery possible in their groovy hometown of Memphis, TN. The brewery name comes from a term of endearment/scolding their grandmother used on the young troublemakers. So cute.

You can look forward to enjoying the following WISEACRE beers at this year's CANvitational: 

• Tiny Bomb, American Pilsner
• Ananda, IPA
• Tarasque, Saison

We asked the Brewmaster, Davin Bartosch, the following questions so you could get to know them better. 

1. What music is usually playing on the brew deck?  

All kinds of stuff.  60's and 70's country, Metallica, Memphis rap, occasionally Katy Perry.

2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

Our mission is to educate. Helping people understand good beer and understand that there is some beer for everybody.  Also, its vital that people don't get too fussy about beer.  We worry about beer all day long.  But not everyone needs to do that.  Sometimes you just need to poke a hole in that precious IPA and drink it in one gulp. If its that kind of day.  Of course, we will always be willing to wax philosophically about the particular characteristics of hops and yeast strains and do some "beer matching."

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?  

3 usually.  Sometimes it swells to 4 in the winter.

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why?

I love Gossamer from Half Acre.  I love Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and I am so glad that it is so accessible. Here are some other beers we love.  http://wiseacrebrew.com/culture/meet-the-team/  I don't wish I came up with any beers.  But I am glad that we have such a long history of brewing and so many pioneers (Sierra Nevada) who came before us.

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing?

Tiny Bomb.  

6.  Is there anything else you would like us to know about you and/or your company?

http://wiseacrebrew.com/culture/our-journey/  I think this map says a lot of what I would like folks to know about us. Mostly that we really took our time doing this and gathered lots of experience all over the place.  Its been an awesome 1st year!

Sun King Brewing's CANvitational is on Saturday, September 20! Purchase your tickets before 9/20 to receive a $10 discount.

Before Canvitational, get to know Piney River Brewing!

We are pleased to have Piney River Brewing join us for Canvitational this year. Joleen and Brian Durham founded the brewery in 2010 in South Central Missouri. It started as a nano brewery (in a barn!) and has grown quickly. Their award winning beer is only distributed in Missouri and Arkansas, make sure you stop by to sample their brews and say hello!

Get to know Piney River Brewing:



1. What music is usually playing on the brewdeck? 

We listen to a WIDE range of music from Led Zeppelin to Nickel Creek. There's really no telling what you might hear playing in the brewery on any day, but I know Jason Isbell, Old Crow Medicine Show, Jack White, Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers have their very own pre-programmed Pandora stations.

2. What's your brewing mission...what are you trying to accomplish with your beer? 

 Our mission is to make high quality craft beer that celebrates the Ozarks.

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day? 

Everyone has a beard with differing density and location depending...

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? 

We enjoy almost all well crafted beers--enjoying each for its own style. We love our hops, and we've got quite a few sours in our cellar right now.

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day at the brewery? 

Bronzeback Pale Ale

6. Anything else you'd like us to know about you and/or your company? 

Joleen & Brian Durham founded Piney River Brewing in 2010 in a 75 year old barn on our farm. We were homebrewers that loved local craft beer. We started out brewing on a 10-gallon system and grew to a 7-barrel brewhouse and related equipment in 2011. We were also the first microbrewery in Missouri to can our beer at our brewery (in November 2011); since we are in the heart of the Ozarks, we have always been committed to brewing beer that was portable in nature. Piney River Brewing has been growing rapidly since the brewery's inception. We won a gold medal for our Old Tom Porter at the GABF in 2013 and a Gold for our Float Trip Ale at the World Beer Cup in 2014 (both will be poured at Canvitational). We are planning to at least double our production capacity in 2015 with a new brewhouse and related equipment. Our goal remains to continue to brew great craft beer in the Ozarks.

What is Canvitational? The 2nd Annual Sun King CANvitational will take place in the heart of Midwest – Indianapolis, IN. Located on Georgia Street, known for Super Bowl XLVI festivities and Pan Am Plaza, the CANvitational is set to showcase 40+ craft breweries from all over America who CAN. On Saturday, September 20th, 2014, the 2nd Annual CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sampling craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local eats provided by local food trucks and music that will be sure to get you dancing in the streets, in an urban downtown atmosphere.

Before Canvitational, get to know DC Brau!

The Geeks are excited to welcome DC Brau to Canvitational once again this year. We are also stoked they are bringing On the Wings of Armageddon, Imperial IPA...it's one of our favorites.  You'll be able to sample four brews at Canvitational. In addition to OTWOA, they'll also be pouring The Public (APA), The Corruption (IPA), and Pen Quarter Porter.



Chris Graham, Lead Brewer, was kind enough to answer our six pack questions, so sit back, relax, and get to know DC Brau:

1. What music is usually playing on the brewdeck?

Like a lot of breweries I know, we have a very eclectic mix of music BLARING from our speakers at any given time (I'm sure the post office above us doesn't appreciate it so much haha!). A lot of ska, reggae, metal, house, DnB, funk, and bluegrass gets played. Though I prefer my music in the key of F... F for funk.

2. What's your brewing mission...what are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

We love how far our local brewing community has come in the 3 short years since we've been open. The community continues to grow and we're proud to call DC home. With that in mind, we want to make sure that other drinkers and brewers alike appreciate DC's beer scene and consider our community as top-notch in the craft brewing scene as a whole. You could say we're elevating the status of DC, through beer.

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?

Ah, the beard question. Well, we certainly do have some bearded gents here at the brewery. I'd say 5 or 6 on any given day? Although, we also have a saying here... A beard does not a brewer make....

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy?

From the area I'd say Port City's Optimal Wit and Atlas Brew Works NSFW. Both great beers that we're lucky enough to have fresh. Although from outside the community, we're always game for some Cantillon.

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day at the brewery?

Hmm, this is a tough one. With so many fresh beers on tap its hard to pick just one. I'll say, though, that I normally go for whatever seasonals or one-offs we have. It's nice to switch it up. Lately its been Summer Solidarity, a collaboration session IPA with other local breweries for DC Beer Week.

6. Anything else you'd like us to know about you and/or your company?

Not much else! We like good beer and good music. What else is there?

 (psssst...don't miss this!!)

What is Canvitational? The 2nd Annual Sun King CANvitational will take place in the heart of Midwest – Indianapolis, IN. Located on Georgia Street, known for Super Bowl XLVI festivities and Pan Am Plaza, the CANvitational is set to showcase 40+ craft breweries from all over America who CAN. On Saturday, September 20th, 2014, the 2nd Annual CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sampling craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local eats provided by local food trucks and music that will be sure to get you dancing in the streets, in an urban downtown atmosphere.

Before Canvitational, get to know Brewery Vivant!

We are getting excited for the upcoming Canvitational event happening later this month.  The lineup is very impressive again this year with Canvitational the only place you can get many of these beers due to their distribution. We wanted to get to know each of the participating breweries a little bit better. So, we've sent out a six pack questionnaire to each of them and we wanted to share them with you.

Up now is Jason Spaulding, President and Owner from Brewery Vivant in Grand Rapids.  You can look forward to sampling from them:

Big Red Coq, Belgo-American Hoppy Red Ale
Farm Hand, French Style Farmhouse Ale
Triomphe, Belgian IPA
Undertaker, Belgian Style Dark Ale

1. What music do you hear most often on the brew deck?  

Actually no music is allowed in the brewery at all.  By keeping it quiet our brewers get to know all the sounds associated with our process; pumps, boiler, grain auger, canning line etc.  We find we have been able to troubleshoot quicker, and are better at our jobs.



2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?  

Brewery Vivant beer is inspired by the small farm breweries of Southern Belgium and Northern France. The enthusiasm and artistic approach to beer those brewers exhibit, are values we tap into when brewing here in the States. The beer styles from these areas allow for a wide range of interpretation that is a mix of old traditions, brewing science, artistic interpretation of style, and an adventurous spirit to try new things. The mood of the brewer on any given day can lead to a new recipe or twist on an old favorite. This upholds that artistic quality we look for in our craft beer. The brewer matters--  making beer is a hands-on process. It is not always perfect, but that is what makes it art. It is made with heart and feeling. And to us that is why it is special.


3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day? 

Hmmm four brewers, four beards also some ridiculous mustaches around here.


4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? 

I always have some classic Belgian beers in my fridge; Duvel, Orval, Leffe, La Chouffe.  Also really enjoy beers from Solemn Oath in Chicago area, anything from the Bruery in California.  Really mad at those guys for coming up with "Tart of Darkness".  It is a wonderful beer so can't complain too much.


5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing?  

I usually drink our Farm Hand.  Just some nice nuances in that beer.  I taste different things everytime I drink it.  Depends on my mood, what I am eating, etc.  Lately though I have been downing our Tree Bucket Belgian style DIPA.  At 9.7% it is not a good idea to make that a shift beer.


6. What do you drink when you aren't drinking beer?  

I love bourbon.  A good Manhattan is one of my go-to drinks.  I make my own proprietary recipe and even soak sour cherries in booze in my fridge for a year to make the perfect accent to the drink

  

What is Canvitational?


The 2nd Annual Sun King CANvitational will take place in the heart of Midwest – Indianapolis, IN. Located on Georgia Street, known for Super Bowl XLVI festivities and Pan Am Plaza, the CANvitational is set to showcase 40+ craft breweries from all over America who CAN.

 On Saturday, September 20th, 2014, the 2nd Annual CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sampling craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local eats provided by local food trucks and music that will be sure to get you dancing in the streets, in an urban downtown atmosphere. Tickets are available and the event will feature some familiar breweries, as well as many out of state. You can find more information about them and the event at http://canvitational.com/.

Tickets are available here.

Before Canvitational, get to know Baxter Brewing Company!

Baxter Brewing Co. is coming back to CANvitational once again, and we could not be more happy about it! Located in the historic Bates Mill in Lewiston, Maine, they're the first craft brewery in New England to can its entire line of beers. And their beers do no disappoint!

You can look forward to trying the following beers at this year's CANvitational: 

• Stowaway IPA
• Pamola XPA
• Tarnation
• Hayride Autumn Ale 

We asked the staff at Baxter Brewing the following questions so you could get to know them better. Enjoy!

1. What music is usually playing on the brew deck?  

Mostly A cappella covers of really bad pop songs, usually from the 80’s, bellowed at the top of his lungs by our brewer, Matty J (El Rojo Gigante).

2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

Here is the list of our 10 core values:

• We are incredibly lucky to be able to make and sell craft beer for a living.
• We are friends, collaborators, and advocates of the beer industry and its culture.
• We produce the best beers we can, while always striving to improve, innovate and become more efficient, yet remaining forever humble.
• We are loyal to the Lewiston-Auburn (Maine) community and will promote it as a great place to live, learn, work and play at every opportunity.
• We serve as stewards of the environment and continuously strive to make our work and personal lives more sustainable.
• Every employee will be given the opportunity to lend creative input into the direction our company goes.
• We will always work as a team with a common goal, while still recognizing and honoring each other’s individual talents.
• We strive to balance the many needs of the company, our coworkers and their families.
• We commit to continually learning, growing and improving our current selves.
• We foster an environment of fun, communication, hard work, and camaraderie.

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?  

If you work at Baxter, you have a beard. We make everyone with a bald face wear a beard wig while at work.

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why?

We love to support local craft beer. We consider the other Maine breweries as our neighbors and comrades. Anything by Allagash, Rising Tide, Foundation, Oxbow, Maine Beer Co., and Marshall Wharf to name just a few. With 50+ breweries in Maine it’s hard to choose.

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing?

Depends on which seasonal is on tap, but Tarnation California-Style Lager is my go-to. On a really long day, one of each of our beers.

6.  Is there anything else you would like us to know about you and/or your company?

Baxter Brewing Co. is a Capricorn, loves adventures outdoors such as hiking, disc golf, boating, biking, Spartan races, and jazzercising.

Sun King Brewing's CANvitational will be here before you know it! Be sure to buy your tickets before 9/20 to receive a $10 discount. Cheers!

Before Canvitational, Get to know - MadTree Brewing

We are getting excited for the upcoming Canvitational event happening later this month.  The lineup is very impressive again this year with Canvitational the only place you can get many of these beers due to their distribution. We wanted to get to know each of the participating breweries a little bit better. So, we've sent out a six pack questionnaire to each of them and we wanted to share them with you.

Madtree Brewing from Cincinnati, Ohio is up next.  You can look forward to sampling:

Lift
PsycHOPathy
Happy Amber
Gnarly Brown
The Great PumpCan

Brady Duncan is and owner and Madtree's Secretary of Beer Defense.

1. What music do you hear most often on the brew deck?  

Depends on who is the early/lead brewer for the day. Can range from Napalm Death to Old Crow Medicine Show. Yesterday there was some Whitney Houston and Boys to Men playing. It was cool....and weird. 

2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

We want to be one of the most respected breweries in the midwest. To accomplish this we aim to a) be one of the best employers, b) be a pillar of the community, and c) make some of the highest quality beer found across the county.

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?

About 8-9. There are a few swingers in the group. 

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? 

We like a lot of beers. Rather than specific beers, we have a lot of respect for breweries that create a great portfolio of beers. Stone, Russian River, Fatheads. Locally, Yellow Springs out Dayton and Blank Slate out of Cincinnati are making great beer on smaller scales. 

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing?

Lift, but's it a go to all the time. 

6. What do you drink when you aren't drinking beer?

Mostly water. Lately Root Beer since we've started making that. We stay away from Mike's Hard. 

  

What is Canvitational?


The 2nd Annual Sun King CANvitational will take place in the heart of Midwest – Indianapolis, IN. Located on Georgia Street, known for Super Bowl XLVI festivities and Pan Am Plaza, the CANvitational is set to showcase 40+ craft breweries from all over America who CAN.

 On Saturday, September 20th, 2014, the 2nd Annual CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sampling craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local eats provided by local food trucks and music that will be sure to get you dancing in the streets, in an urban downtown atmosphere. Tickets are available and the event will feature some familiar breweries, as well as many out of state. You can find more information about them and the event at http://canvitational.com/.

Tickets are available here.

Before Canvitational, get to know, West Sixth Brewing

We are getting excited for the upcoming Canvitational event happening later this month.  The lineup is very impressive again this year with Canvitational the only place you can get many of these beers due to their distribution. We wanted to get to know each of the participating breweries a little bit better. So, we've sent out a six pack questionnaire to each of them and we wanted to share them with you.

West Sixth Brewing from Lexington, Kentucky is up next.  You can look forward to sampling:

West Sixth IPA
West Sixth Amber
Lemongrass American Wheat
Pay it Forward Cocoa Porter
Barrel aged Sorghum Brown


Ben Self is one of the founding members behind West Sixth Brewing.

 1. What music is usually playing on the brew deck?

 Right now they're rockin some John Prine.

 2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

 Our goal is to make great beer, and deliver it as fresh as possible throughout Kentucky. We want to provide the state with the best and freshest beer out there, while also making a positive impact on the communities we're a part of.

 3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?

 We're up to 4 or 5 beards at the brewery, but Robin, our head brewer and co-founder is facial hair free!

 4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why? 

There's so many great beers out there, it's hard to pick just one. I'm always a sucker for some Firestone Walker, and also loving the Evil Twin / Westbrook nomader weisse these days.

 5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing? My go to is either our current ISA offering or the Lemongrass American Wheat, especially when it's this hot!

 6. Is there anything else you would like us to know about you and/or your company? Our production brewery and taproom is located in the Bread Box, which is a hundred + year old bread factory in the heart of Lexington, KY. We're home to not only the brewery, but a tilapia farm / aquaponics system called FoodChain, Smithtown Seafood (a fish and chips place), the Bread Box Studio Artists, a microdistillery, a coffee roaster (Magic Beans), the Plantory (a multi-tenant non-profit center) and the local roller derby team! 


What is Canvitational? The 2nd Annual Sun King CANvitational will take place in the heart of Midwest – Indianapolis, IN. Located on Georgia Street, known for Super Bowl XLVI festivities and Pan Am Plaza, the CANvitational is set to showcase 40+ craft breweries from all over America who CAN. On Saturday, September 20th, 2014, the 2nd Annual CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sampling craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local eats provided by local food trucks and music that will be sure to get you dancing in the streets, in an urban downtown atmosphere.

Before Canvitational, Get to know - Cigar City Brewing

We are getting excited for the upcoming Canvitational event happening next month.  The lineup is very impressive again this year with Canvitational the only place you can get many of these beers due to their distribution. We wanted to get to know each of the participating breweries a little bit better. So, we've sent out a six pack questionnaire to each of them and we wanted to share them with you.

Cigar City Brewing is a well known name in the craft beer community.  They have been making a name for themselves with hoppy IPAs, big imperial stouts, and other approachable beers for beer geeks and novices alike. Their offerings include eight year round beers and multiple special release beers along with seasonal beers. Look for them and the following beers at Canvitational:

Jai Alai (don't miss this one)- A big citrus and floral noted IPA
 Florida Cracker – A Belgian Style Wit
 Invasion - A 5% pale ale that punches well above its weight

Next in our series is Joe Burns, National Sales Manager at Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, Florida.


1. What music is usually playing on the brew deck? 

Depends on the brewer. We have two brew houses on site and the music in Brew House 1 varies by the day of the week, old rock, jazz, blues, with a culmination of Django Reinhart Friday. Its like clockwork with Brew House 1.

 2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

We are trying to highlight the Tampa culture and the Cuban culture of the area. Florida is very diverse and we want to show folks names, tastes, and the history of our area.

 3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?

 We have 65 employees, and we are mostly beardless. I just looked at our wall of employee pictures, and would say that we have about 20 guys with some type of facial hair.

 4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why?

 The folks here are the brewery have very diverse pallets. We all seem to love sours, and hoppy pale ales. I am personally a big Bells fan, with the Amber being one of my favorites.

 5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing?

 The beer of choice around here is Invasion Pale Ale. Light bodied, hop forward, low ABV.

 6. Is there anything else you would like us to know about you and/or your company?

 We are constantly asked to ship beer out of Florida. Truth is we sell very little beer outside of Florida, as 94+% of the beer that we produce is sold in Florida. We are very involved in the legislative side of the business and continue to try to get others as involved as we are. The brewery has 6 full time reps in Florida, two in the Tampa/St Pete/Sarasota/Ft Myers/Naples market, two in the Miami/Ft Lauderdale/Keys markets, one in Orlando/Gainsville, and one in Jacksonville/Tallahassee market. We work very hard to align ourselves with Florida institutions who do a great job of selling and marketing our products. A few examples are, Tropicana Field (Tampa Bay Rays), Disney properties, Epcot Food and Wine, Epcot Flower and Garden Fest, Carnival Cruise Lines, Publix Supermarkets, ABC Liquors, Sloppy Joe's (Key West), Tampa Int'l Airport, to name a few. Cigar City Brewing has a brew pub located 10 miles away from the brewery which is a full service restaurant with a small 7 bbl system in it. We have the only operating/manufacturing brewery inside of an airport in the US. It is located in Concourse C (Southwest Airlines/Airtran Airlines) with a small 2 bbl system. Cigar City Cider is about to go into full production in the month of August. It will be available in cans and draft, just as our beers are. Cigar City Brewing has a great team that really believes in what we are doing.

What is Canvitational?


The 2nd Annual Sun King CANvitational will take place in the heart of Midwest – Indianapolis, IN. Located on Georgia Street, known for Super Bowl XLVI festivities and Pan Am Plaza, the CANvitational is set to showcase 40+ craft breweries from all over America who CAN.

 On Saturday, September 20th, 2014, the 2nd Annual CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sampling craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local eats provided by local food trucks and music that will be sure to get you dancing in the streets, in an urban downtown atmosphere. Tickets are available and the event will feature some familiar breweries, as well as many out of state. You can find more information about them and the event at http://canvitational.com/.

Tickets are available here.  There is a $20 discount for tickets purchased before Septermber 1st.

Before Canvitational, Get To Know - Tallgrass Brewing Company

We are getting excited for the upcoming Canvitational event happening next month.  The lineup is very impressive again this year with Canvitational the only place you can get many of these beers due to their distribution. We wanted to get to know each of the participating breweries a little bit better. So, we've sent out a six pack questionnaire to each of them and we wanted to share them with you.

Tallgrass Brewing Company was founded in 2007 and has been canning their beers exclusively since 2010. Their offerings include six year round beers and several rotating seasonal beers. Look for them and the following beers at the event:

8 Bit (a personal favorite)- Highly hopped American Pale Ale
 Zombie Monkey – Autumn seasonal porter
 Ethos – A dry hopped IPA

First in our series is Garrett Paulman, head brewer at Tallgrass Brewing in Manhattan, Kansas.


1. What music is usually playing on the brew deck?
 Depends on the brewer, it ranges anywhere from Marilyn Manson to James Taylor, and an unusual amount of James Blunt.

 2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

 To brew consistently remarkable beers. We want to bring groups of people, friend and foe alike, together over a tasty beverage.





3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?

 True beards, one. The rest of us are simply posers.

 4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why? 

Anderson Valley’s Summer Solstice, Empyrean Dark Side Vanilla Porter, Lagunitas IPA, really anything Lagunitas they seem to know what they’re doing.

 5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing? A combination of Ethos and Velvet Rooster, not mixed together.

 6. Is there anything else you would like us to know about you and/or your company?

 Nah.

What is Canvitational?


The 2nd Annual Sun King CANvitational will take place in the heart of Midwest – Indianapolis, IN. Located on Georgia Street, known for Super Bowl XLVI festivities and Pan Am Plaza, the CANvitational is set to showcase 40+ craft breweries from all over America who CAN.

 On Saturday, September 20th, 2014, the 2nd Annual CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sampling craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local eats provided by local food trucks and music that will be sure to get you dancing in the streets, in an urban downtown atmosphere. Tickets are available and the event will feature some familiar breweries, as well as many out of state. You can find more information about them and the event at http://canvitational.com/.

Tickets are available here.  There is a $20 discount for tickets purchased before Septermber 1st.

Before CANvitational, Get To Know - Tin Man

CANvitational draws near, just a few more days remain!  Do you have your tickets yet?

Tin Man is one of Indiana's newest breweries.  They are based in Evansville and have a kick-ass robot theme.  Their brew process is a little different from others too, as they use a High Efficiency Brewing System (HEBS), which you can learn a little more about here.

Look for them and the following beers at the event.

Circuit Bohemian Pilsner - Circuit tips a can to Czech pilsners with its light and crisp metallic finish. Its thirst-quenching flavor is mostly derived from heavy use of Saaz hops and it boasts amazing head retention for such a light beer. Whether on a hot day or with a plate of scampi, you’ll enjoy a cold circuit.

Rivet Irish Red Ale - Rivet whets your sensors with Caramel malts and Willamette hops to produce a more colorful and flavorful version of its English relatives – the bitter clan. Its toffee sweetness and mild bitterness make Rivet the perfect complement to backyard barbecues and burgers.

Alloy American IPA - Upon sampling Alloy, citrus notes turn to outright grapefruit with a malty sweetness just behind. Copper in color and well-balanced, its hoppy bitter finish dissipates quickly and leaves only one desire – more! Activate your hop sensors for a well-deserved glass of Alloy.

Robust Porter - Our manufacturing went into maximum overdrive with kilos of dark malts, northern brewer and cascade hops. Though its flood of dark fruit flavor and hop aroma are big, this beer remains amazingly balanced and easy to drink. After a hard day of work, unwind with 3 Gear.

And we'll let Nick Davidson take it away...

1. What music do you hear most often on the brew deck?

Most of the time we just turn on Pandora or Spotify and listen to random music, but if I had my way we would exclusively listen to Queens of the Stone Age.  All the brewers at Tin Man like just about everything when it comes to music so there's never any arguments when picking something to rock out to.

2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

Our mission is to bring the craft beer culture to southwestern Indiana.  It's also our mission to try and be as eco-friendly as possible.

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?

There are at least 3 beards in the brewery on any given day, but there usually one or two exceptional mustaches as well.

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why?

Tough question.  It depends on the season.  With autumn & winter around the corner, my wife really enjoys Hibernation Ale by Great Divide, so I've become a fan of that beer.  It might sound like a BS answer, but I really enjoy all the beers made by my fellow Indiana craft brewers.  You will routinely find, Flat 12's Half Cycle, Triton's Rail Splitter, New Albanian's Hoptimus, or Cutter's Floyd's Folly in my refrigerator.  There's a beer brewed by Breakside Brewery in Portland called the Aztec, the pairing of cacao nibs & serrano chili peppers is delicious & has a great mouth feel, I would've loved to come up with that beer. 

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day of brewing?

I'm a hop-head so after brewing or any long day at work I go have a pint of Overlord, our Imperial IPA.

6. What do you drink when you aren't drinking beer? Are you on #teamradler?

I'm a bourbon drinker when I'm not drinking beer (but I'm usually drinking beer).  And yes I'm a supporter of #teamradler!

Thanks Nick!  We'll see you soon!

What is the Canvitational?

On Saturday, September 28th, 2013, the inaugural CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sample craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local Indy eats provided by food trucks and music (DJ Helicon and DJ Action Jackson), in an urban downtown atmosphere.

Tickets are available and the event will feature some familiar breweries, as well as many out of state.  You can find more information about them and the event at http://canvitational.com/.

Before CANvitational, Get To Know - Schlafly

We are on a roll with our Brewers posts' and this edition is from one of our favorites, Schlafly.

Schlafly, aka Saint Louis Brewery, was founded in 1991 by Dan Kopman and Tom Schlafly.  The taproom is housed in an old building that nearly met its demise while it laid vacant between the time of it's printing company inhabitants and the fine folks at Schlafly.  You can read more about its history and learn what movie you can see the taproom building in on their site.  

Look for them and the following beers at the event.

IPA - Our IPA is a session IPA, a smooth golden ale packed with the bold flavor and aroma of American hops.  We crafted it in the spirit of the low gravity IPAs common in the UK where the style stands for hoppy, not heavy.

American Brown - Our American Brown Ale starts with a classic British brown recipe crafted with caramel and chocolate malts for sweetness and color. Then we fortify it with the bold flavor and aroma of American hops.

Black Lager - Sessions Black Lager is a traditional German Schwarzbier with a refreshingly light body.  The dark chocolate malts contribute color and hints of roasted coffee balanced by the delicate aroma of German Noble hops.  Translated from German, Schwarzbier means black beer.

Now, without further ado, here's Jared Williamson - 

1. What music do you hear most often on the brew deck?  

Mostly hippy-metal-jazz-grass-funk.

2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

My mission is to be the best Brewhouse Warrior I can be: smooth lauters, brewing in spec, efficient batch management, hitting target O.G., and consistency. What am I trying to accomplish: delicious awesomeness.  

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?  

Over 20. During the winter, closer to 30. We're a hairy bunch.

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why?

I'm a big fan of our fellow Saint Louis area breweries, lots of great beer is being brewed here. I can't really think of a specific beer I wish I came up with, but I'm glad I had a very creative beginning to my career with New Albanian. A lot of brewers never get to enjoy that kind of freedom. 

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing?

Our Session IPA, which I helped design, always hits the spot. I'm a big fan of low gravity, hop forward beers. 

6. What do you drink when you aren't drinking beer?  

Water, coffee, and Bloody Mary's 

Are you on #teamradler? 

I'm drinking a Radler while I type this, #teamradler for life.

Much love to Jared, we look forward to throwing back some Session IPA!  

What is the Canvitational?

On Saturday, September 28th, 2013, the inaugural CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sample craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local Indy eats provided by food trucks and music (DJ Helicon and DJ Action Jackson), in an urban downtown atmosphere.

Tickets are available and the event will feature some familiar breweries, as well as many out of state.  You can find more information about them and the event at http://canvitational.com/.

Before CANvitational, Get To Know - Two Brothers

We are continuing our series of Brewery posts as Canvitational draws near and next on our list is is Justin Whitney, brewer at Two Brothers in Warrenville, IL.  

Two Brothers got their start in 1997 under direction from Jim and Jason Ebel.  From there, they've grown to two pubs, a coffee roastery, and they sponsor two concert series in Warrenville.  

Look for them and the following beers at the event.

Outlaw - IPA

Sidekick - Extra Pale Ale

Dog Days - Dortmunder style Lager 


Now, without further ado, here's Justin - 

1. What music do you hear most often on the brew deck?  

Recently hall and oats but traditionally the queers and bob marley

2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

Consistent and quality products. We don't strive to push stylistic envelopes but more to keep our customers coming back for different and enjoyable brews.

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?

5, depending on if anyone has had any "meetings" recently.

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why?

Cigar city cucumber saison and anything from Toppling Goliath. Wish I thought of rogues voodoo donut. Best if aged but its breakfast in a bottle. All you'll ever need.

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing?

Sidekick, but cane and Ebel when shit in the brewery goes aRYE. Pun unintended.

6. What do you drink when you aren't drinking beer?  Are you on #teamradler?

Meads from Moonstruck Meadery. Or coffee from our Two Brothers cofferery.

Our thanks to Justin.  We look forward to having your beer at the event!  

What is the Canvitational?

On Saturday, September 28th, 2013, the inaugural CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sample craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local Indy eats provided by food trucks and music (DJ Helicon and DJ Action Jackson), in an urban downtown atmosphere.

Tickets are available and the event will feature some familiar breweries, as well as many out of state.  You can find more information about them and the event at http://canvitational.com/.

Before CANvitational, Get to Know - Arcadia Ales

CANvitational is less than a week away! We wanted to get to know the participating breweries a little better, so we sent out a six pack questionnaire to them. Now, we get to share their answers with you.

Next up is Evan Garrett, brewer at Arcadia Ales in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Established in 1996, Arcadia takes their brewing cues from the United Kingdom by focusing on British-style ales. Arcadia's beers are brewed on authentic British equipment using English brewing methods and ingredients. Arcadia is set to open a 30,000 bbl-per-year production facility in Kalamazoo in December 2013. More details on the brewery's expansion here.

Be sure to checkout Arcadia and the following beers at the event:

Sky High Rye. This West Coast-style Pale Ale is brewed with 80% English barley malt and 20% rye malt. It boasts a massive floral aroma of resinous hops, contributing notes of lemons, peaches and pine needles and anchored by sweet, malty flavor of toffee and freshly-baked pumpernickel bread.

Whitsun Ale. Brewed in the style of a mid-19th century English Festival Ale, this unfiltered wheat beer displays a translucent orange color topped with a creamy, white head. Wheat enhances the mouthfeel of the beer and produces pleasant bread-like notes while Michigan honey provides a caramelized sweetness in the flavor profile. This beer is spiced with orange peel and coriander and small amounts of three hop varieties perfectly counterbalancing the sweetness.

Now, we'll hand it over to Evan:

1. What music do you hear most often on the brew deck?

Bluegrass, Reggae, Punk/Ska.

2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

Our brewing mission is to consistently produce a quality product that not only us as the brewers enjoy, but that will bring the consumers back and spread a positive reputation. Our current goal is to move into our new production facility, and not only increase production, but sales as well.

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?

At least four.

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why?

Lagunitas, Jolly Pumpkin, Founders, Firestone, Great Lakes. Lagunitas 'Sucks' because it is a very hop forward, but well balanced IPA.

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing?

IPA, Sky High Rye or Anglers Ale.

6. What do you drink when you aren't drinking beer? Are you on #teamradler?

Water, coffee and sometimes soda pop. No.

Thanks, Evan!  We look forward to seeing you in Indiana!

What is the Canvitational?

On Saturday, September 28th, 2013, the inaugural CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sample craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local Indy eats provided by food trucks and music (DJ Helicon and DJ Action Jackson), in an urban downtown atmosphere.

Tickets are available and the event will feature some familiar breweries, as well as many out of state.  You can find more information about them and the event at http://canvitational.com/.

Before Canvitational, Get To Know - West Sixth

We are getting pretty excited for the upcoming Canvitational event happening later this month and we are VERY impressed with the brewery lineup.  We want to get to know each of the participating breweries a little bit better.  So, we've sent out a six pack questionnaire to each of them and we wanted to share them with you. 

Next up is Ben Self, owner and brewer at West Sixth Brewing in Lexington, KY.

West Sixth opened in Lexington at the site of the old Rainbo Bread Factory in 2012.  The building now houses the brewery, along with other community minded organizations including a coffee roaster, a bike shop, a roller derby team among others. That's pretty cool.

Look for them and the following beers at the event.

West Sixth IPA - There’s a lot going on here, with citrus as the obvious star.  Over the backbone of bready malt and pine stickiness you will find notes of peaches, lemon zest, dank grassiness, pine needles, and tangerines..

West Sixth Amber - Stunning in color, the West Sixth Amber (also known at the Deliberation Amber in our taproom) is perhaps our most beautiful looking beer.

Now, without further ado, here's Ben - 

1. What music do you hear most often on the brew deck?  

Most frequent music?  Maybe some good 70s rock 

2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

Our mission as a brewery is to produce top notch beers while also being a brewery that measures its success not only by the beer, but also by how we can help our community.

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?

We're pretty beard-scarce.  There are usually 3 or 4 in the brewery and taproom, which is about 1/3 of the folks around here.

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why?

I love the beers that some of our other local breweries are doing -- like Country Boy Brewing.

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing?

I always love enjoying whatever we have that is new, but for me I always end up back at our IPA.

6. What do you drink when you aren't drinking beer?  Are you on #teamradler?

We're in the heart of bourbon country, so if I'm not drinking a beer, I'm drinking a bourbon.  You can also find some Noah's Mill in my cabinet, along with some of the other small batch bourbons.

Thanks, Ben!  We look forward to having your beer at the event!  

What is the Canvitational?

On Saturday, September 28th, 2013, the inaugural CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sample craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local Indy eats provided by food trucks and music (DJ Helicon and DJ Action Jackson), in an urban downtown atmosphere.

Tickets are available and the event will feature some familiar breweries, as well as many out of state.  You can find more information about them and the event at http://canvitational.com/.

Before Canvitational, Get To Know - Marble Brewery

We are getting pretty excited for the upcoming Canvitational event happening later this month and we are VERY impressed with the brewery lineup.  We want to get to know each of the participating breweries a little bit better.  So, we've sent out a six pack questionnaire to each of them and we wanted to share them with you. 

Next up is Ted Rice, co-founder and brewer at Marble Brewery in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Marble brewing opened in 2008 in Albuquerque it is named for the avenue that runs through their warehouse district in town.  Recently, they brewed two tribute beers to the totally badass show that is filmed in Albuquerque, Breaking Bad. 

Thanks, Wikipedia

Also, the city of Albuquerque is named for this cool dude...

Look for them and the following beers at the event.

Pilsner - A light, crisp, traditional German-style Pilsner brewed with imported malt and hops.

India Pale Ale - Columbus, Amarillo and Centennial hops lend a fragrant citrus aroma and snappy hop character to our flagship beer.

Now, without further ado, here's Ted - 

1. What music do you hear most often on the brew deck?  

That's tough to say. We all take turns as DJ on Pandora. Personally I've been exposed to so many different styles of music by taking a back seat on the stereo. By the off chance that I'm brewing alone on the weekend and left to my own devices I'll be jamming the latest live Phish show. 

2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

Our mission is to provide fresh, hop-forward, flavors to the craft connoisseurs of the southwest. We brew a wide range of styles, but at the end of the day it always comes back to the hops. "Hey, let's dry hop this Pilsner"

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?

8 out 15 brewery employees have beards. One of our brewers is a lady and she wears pink boots. Much better than facial hair. 

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why?

The sky's the limit on this one. I love exploring fresh, regional flavors when I am traveling. IPA is my go to style, but I'll sit down with a pint of anything that is well crafted and engaging.

We have been playing with barrel aging and brettanomyces for several years now. Russian River's Temptation has definitely been inspirational in that realm. The combination of fruity and funky brett, pale malt base, light acidity, and a kiss of wine is quite magical.

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing?

Pilsner. Fragrant, spicy, dry, European malt backbone. 

6. What do you drink when you aren't drinking beer?  Are you on #teamradler?

Big reds. Margaritas- rocks, salt, serrano peppers.  

 #teamradler? I'll check it out. 

Thanks, Ted!  We look forward to having your beer at the event!  

What is the Canvitational?

On Saturday, September 28th, 2013, the inaugural CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sample craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local Indy eats provided by food trucks and music (DJ Helicon and DJ Action Jackson), in an urban downtown atmosphere.

Tickets are available and the event will feature some familiar breweries, as well as many out of state.  You can find more information about them and the event at http://canvitational.com/.

Before Canvitational, Get To Know - Morgan Street Brewery

We are getting pretty excited for the upcoming Canvitational event happening later this month and we are VERY impressed with the brewery lineup.  We want to get to know each of the participating breweries a little bit better.  So, we've sent out a six pack questionnaire to each of them and we wanted to share them with you. 

First in our series is Dustin Chalfant, brewer at Morgan Street Brewery in St. Louis, Missouri.

Morgan Street brewery is housed in the Schoelhorn-Albrecht Machine Company building, one of the oldest on Laclede's Landing in St. Louis.  Their offerings include mainly lager-based beers (see Commandment VII), along with other seasonal options throughout the year.

Look for them and the following beers at the event.  

Black Bear- This light flavored black lager is our version of a classic schwarzbier. 

Honey Wheat – This American style unfiltered wheat beer is great anytime. The aroma is pleasantly grainy and sweet with a touch of honey.

Golden Pilsner – This Bohemian styled Pilsner is rich and malty. The hop character is spicy due to the use of Czech Saaz hops.

Oktoberfest/Marzen – This classic German lager is noted for its smooth, clean, and rather rich malt character.

Now, without further ado, here's Dustin - 

1. What music do you hear most often on the brew deck?  

We listen to Pandora a lot.  We have a Sublime station that plays a lot of roots-rock-reggae.  The Dirty Heads, Simplified, Ballyhoo, etc.  However, whenever we feel like rocking out we usually just throw on some Death Metal.

2. What's your brewing mission? What are you trying to accomplish with your beer?

Due to the fact that we are a 'lager house,' our mission is blow peoples minds with what lagers can be.  Sure we strive to make perfect examples of traditional lager styles, but we do a lot of ale styles with lager yeast, imperial pilsners, oak aging in stainless, etc.  As far as what we hope to accomplish, well that's easy, we want people to smile big when they try our beer.

3. How many beards can be found in the brewery on any given day?  

We are a staff of 3, two guys and a girl so 2/3 isn't bad right?  I am pretty sure Rachel appreciates not being the bearded lady in the brewery. 

4. Which beers outside of your own do you enjoy? What beer do you wish you came up with? Why?

Too many to list.  It is an ever changing thing.  That is the best part with so many breweries around, you can have tried one particular style of beer a bunch of times and then you come across a twist to it that you never saw coming.  I don't think that there are any beers that I wish that I had come up, there are some names but no particular beers. 

5. What's your go-to shift beer after a long day brewing?

In house its hard to say since we rotate quite a bit, but if I am out and about you would usually find me with Lagunitas IPA.  Its always consistent and always great.  

6. What do you drink when you aren't drinking beer?  Are you on #teamradler?

I stick to unsweet iced tea.  Its my other thing.  There used to be a massive amount of soda consumption in my days, but I am trying to just stick to things 'brewed' these days.

Many thanks to Dustin and the Morgan Street crew.  We look forward to having your beer at the event!

What is the Canvitational?

On Saturday, September 28th, 2013, the inaugural CANvitational will enlighten patrons to sample craft beer from award winning breweries from across the USA, enjoy local Indy eats provided by food trucks and music (DJ Helicon and DJ Action Jackson), in an urban downtown atmosphere.

Tickets are available and the event will feature some familiar breweries, as well as many out of state.  You can find more information about them and the event at http://canvitational.com/.