KOTBR #48 - Dude, where's Chris' car?

The focus of the Knights of the Beer Roundtable review is Brugge's Tripel de Ripple, a beautiful Belgian that is so smooth that its high alcohol is hidden. Hence, Brugge Brasserie limits you to two Tripels per visit.

On a recent visit, a demonstration in why you get only two Tripels occurred, as we tried to help Knight Emeritus Chris find his car, which he thought was down the street. After half an hour, we discovered that it was, in fact, parked right in front of Brugge.



The rules are there for a reason, people! On with the reviews...

Gina's Review:

On our first visit to review the Tripel, my notes consisted solely of "I love Brugge". I am sad to report that my notes the second time around weren't much better, but that's the beauty of Brugge. There's just something about drinking a pint (or more) there with friends. It's always a good time. As far as the Tripel goes...there is just a hint of citrus-like sweetness with a dry finish.

I think that it's a remarkable thing when a beer can pack a heavy punch alcohol-wise, but still be drinkable enough for almost any palate. 4.39 mugs

Mike's Review:

While testing out a wide variety of Belgian and French style ales at our last meeting at World Class Beverages, our host and generous leader, Bob Mack, brought up that the brewers of Orval - a Belgian Pale - suggest aging the beer in the bottle for six months before serving.

While this isn't the case with all Belgian beers, there does seem to be some thought that aging does the beers a service.

More from Bob:

Jef Versele (now head of Van Steenberge and grandson of Josef van Steenberge) has talked to us a lot about high fermentation beers and aging. He finds that Piraat, for example, is best between six months and eighteen months of age. He and I actually visited Kahn's Fine Wines when he was here in town a couple of years ago and he looked at the date codes on the Piraat bottles checking for the best month of vintage. Knowing that I am a Piraat fan, he was picking them out for me and giving me some Piraat education for my own enjoyment.

Of course, Piraat is bottle conditioned and I expect that the beers are generally devised by recipe to peak after several months since much of Van Steenberge's market is in export to North America and other continents.

What's all that got to do with Brugge's Tripel de Ripple?

Well, I've had the beer at least four times - once during the Indiana Craft Beer and Food Symposium (where you'll see that everyone immediately thought "banana"), once a few months later at Badaboomz (now J. Gumbos), then twice in the past two weeks. What's the difference? The first two times, I got a full-on banana explosion, and would have easily rated the beer at around 4.5 mugs.

But now that now that we're officially rating the beer, I wouldn't go that high. Why? Because the banana has gone away.

Is this an aging thing? Ted has admitted that the Tripel on now is a bit "green". This time around I got a nose of bubblegum, vanilla, apple, a hint of that smokey "beer poured on an open grill" thing... but I really had to go digging to pull banana out. The same elements were there in the taste - apple and a hint of vanilla, but also a lot of grape, butter, biscuit maybe?

But I really liked the banana.

In any case, I'd have to give the beer as we had it this time around 3.5 mugs.

But in being fair I think it's best to average my earlier 4.5 - a score I was pretty sure of then - with my current 3.5. I have a feeling this beer only gets better. 4.00 Mugs

Jim's Review:

Finally...something out of Terre Haute that smells good.

Served in Brugge's trademark goblet. Pours with a cloudy yellow-orange color and a nice white head that dissipates into a fine ring at the edge of the glass. Nose evokes bananas, apples, and a bit of mustiness. Flavor is a wonderful combination of apples, bananas, and spices with a touch of caramel and sourness. Mouthfeel is silky. As the goblet warms, the caramel character of the taste becomes a little more prevalent.

Someone (I think it was Mike) once asked if Ted has ever brewed a bad beer. My answer: Hell no! 4.20 mugs.

Jason's Review:

I leave for my beach vacation in 16 days.

What the hell does that have to do with Tripel de Ripple?

Because a common theme between my notes when drinking this elixir during my past two visits to Brugge Brasserie includes "I smell clams or shellfish" and "I taste salt; something briny". I'm not saying it stinks of fish, but when I drink this, I am taken to the ripples of the ocean. And I mean it in the most complimentary way possible.

It's probably in my head. Or maybe it is the aroma of Brugge's mussels that bring this out. I don't know. But I enjoy it. It is the beach in a glass for those who can't make it to the shoreline this summer.

Other notes of mine: cloudy, orangish-gold in color; clean, slightly sweet smell, an itty bit of banana (unlike the aged bottle we drank a few months back that was full of bananas), apples, slightly sour; alcoholly bite; dry mouth feel; and flavors and aromas gain strength as it approaches room temperature. 4.30 mugs

Two things about Zing!

Last August, Knight Chris introduced us to Zing!, a small plates restaurant and bar at the corner of Indiana Avenue and West Street in downtown Indianapolis. There are two things we wanted to bring to your attention.



First, their beer menu. According to their website, it includes:

Draft beer:
Stella Artois 4.75
Guinness 5.75
Blue Moon 4.75
Sam Adam’s Seasonal 5.00
Bass 4.75
Bell’s Seasonal 4.75
Three Floyds Alpha King (Indiana) 5.00
Brugge White (Indiana) 5.00

beer flights
[ Draft Only • Three 5oz. portions ]
choose any three 8.00

Bottled beer:
Barley Island Barfly IPA (Indiana) 4.75
Three Floyds Gumballhead Wheat Ale (Indiana) 5.00
Three Floyds Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale (Indiana) 4.75
Upland Wheat (Indiana) 4.50
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA 4.75
Goose Island Honker’s Ale 4.75
Victory Prima Pils 4.75
Flying Dog Gonzo Porter 5.00
Shiner Bock 4.75
Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat 3.75
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 4.50
Killian’s Irish Red 3.75
Sam Adam’s Lager 3.75
Delirium Tremens Belgian Strong Ale 9.00
Affligem Blond 6.00
Linderman’s Framboise 10.00
Piraat Belgium Strong Ale 10.5% 8.00

There are other domestic and import beers available. Of particular interest, on Tuesdays (like today) they have a special: Hoosier Beer Night. All Hoosier Beers are $3. Sounds like a good time for Hoosier Beer Geek to visit. Maybe around 8:30pm tonight.

Secondly, on April 26th, at 6pm, Zing! will be hosting a seven course beer dinner. The cost is $30. RSVP at 317.636.7775, or at zingrestaurant.com. This can either be a great finish to a great beer weekend (Dark Lord Day is that weekend) or the highlight for those without Golden Tickets. Either way, food and beer equals fun. The menu submitted to us is below and is subject to change:

Course 1
Gaspacho with avocado creme fraiche and grilled goat cheese crostini soup
Bell's Oberon

Course 2
Grilled Vegetable salad with cappacolla, genoa salami, and provolone
Three Floyd's Gumballhead

Course 3
Asian meatballs with glass noodles and soy lime drizzle
Brugge White

Course 4
House made crab cakes with spicy remoulade
Three Floyd's Alpha King

Course 5
Chorizo stuffed dates wrapped in bacon and simmered in a sweet pepper tomato sauce
Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

Course 6
Cappacolla wrapped pork tenderloin pepper crusted and served with savory bread pudding and mustard sauce
Piraat Belgian Tripel IPA

Course 7
Chocolate pots de creme topped with fresh whipped cream and candied ginger
Flying Dog Gonzo Porter

Sentimental Journey

So I'm 16 and I just got my driver's license. And like any teenager in Columbus, I wanted to get out and enjoy life. This meant taking road trips to Bloomington and Indianapolis with my friends Bryan and the Bohemian and many others. The one draw back: it's hard to have (legal) fun in Bloomington and Indy without being 21.

Until we found BW3's on Kirkwood Avenue. They let those under 21 in. They had sports all over. They had chicken wings and kick ass burgers on weck (the third W in BW3's). And it was also the first time I was served beer without getting carded. This was a favorite hang out for my friends and I.

It is many years later. BW3's has dropped the Weck to become Buffalo Wild Wings Bar and Grill. The BW's on Kirkwood is long gone, replaced my a strip mall store on the west side of town. Even the BW's in the Village in Muncie has moved out to a strip mall way, way, WAY off campus.

But my love for BW's continues. And our most recent beer tasting was held at the BW's in Downtown Indy. And this will certainly be my last drinking experience at downtown BW's as the owners and corporate, having philosophical differences, have elected to go their separate ways. So after Memorial Day, BW's will close and later in June will re-open as Badaboomz.

What will remain, however, is the amazing beer selection. Forty taps. Many more in bottles. A collection of cellar beers that probably can't be challenged by anyone in the city, state, or Midwest for that matter.

We were invited by Michael Deweese, who is a partner and the resident beer geek. He brought with him another restaurant partner named Doug (whose last night I didn't write down). We talked a lot about the restaurant business and about beers. From his cellar, Michael brought out a 22 ounce bottle of vintage Stone Double Bastard (from 2003) and a couple of bottles George Gale & Company Limited Conquest Ale (from 2001).

Normally, I would expect 4 to 6 year old beer to be skunky. I was proven wrong. And really, it makes sense. IPA's were made to survive the long journey from England to India. They have longevity.

What's really interesting is what the beers result in. Instead of being the bitter, hopped up beers when they are first born, they sit in the cellar and come out very sweet. Over time, it turns into a beverage that would challenge most wines. The result is not a beer that you slam or drink one after another. It's a sit back and enjoy type of beer.

We tried the Conquest first. As expected, it poured with no head what so ever. It was amber in color and smelled of applies. It was sweet, sweet, super sweet, like a good barley wine. There were some nice citrus notes. It finishes with a slight, syrupy aftertaste. For me, it reminds me of a really good, non-peety scotch.

We followed with the Double Bastard. Again, it poured with no head. It has a sweet aroma, a creamy sweet taste with a slight bite up front, and left my mouth covered in sugar.

Both beers were great, giving me a desire to store away some beers myself. Though I can't imagine being able to store beer away for so long and not drink it. We'll see.

With both beers, I give solid 4 mug ratings.

We finished with Piraat, which Doug highly recommended. This is an excellent Belgian ale and is available on tap downtown at BW's. It is not overly carbonated, so when the reddish-golden elixir is poured, there isn't a lot of head. The sweet aroma was faint and I wasn't able to define what I was smelling. The taste was surprising, full of fruits, especially strawberry. The sweet maltiness of this beer was balanced with just a oh so slight bite of hops. The Piraat finished clean with little aftertaste. But be careful: this drink is 10% ABV. You wouldn't really know it when you drink it, so it is easy to go overboard on this. It was a good beer to follow up the cellar beers with. It possesses many of the qualities of the cellar beer without having to wait years and years for it. Incredibly enjoyable, I give it 4 mugs as well.

Random Beer Roundup - The Second Round Edition

The summer festival season really gets into full swing this weekend starting with the Indy Wine and Beer Fest in Broad Ripple tonight, and Brew Ha-Ha on Saturday. The US also plays Ghana on Saturday in the next round of the World Cup. GO USA!

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. Don't see your favorite craft beer establishment? Let them know you'd like to see them here! Work for an establishment that serves craft beer? We want to hear from you too!

Hoosier Beer Calendar

Events are subject to change

What's Brewing

From Jeff at Barley Island in Noblesville/Broad Ripple:

Both Barley Island locations are now serving a seasonal: Goldilocks Belgian Blond. This deep golden color Belgian ale can best be described as a "Mini Triple". It has a Pils malt and sugar sweetness character (7.0 % ABV), medium hop flavor (25 IBU's) and some spicy phenolics from our Belgian yeast strain. Credits to BrewMaster Mike Hess for the name - Goldilocks - due to the featured East Kent & Styrian Goldings hops - as well as the tap handle design!

From Greg at Lafayette Brewing Co. in Lafayette:

On tap this weekend at Lafayette Brewing: Ouiatenon Wit Bier; Prophet's Rock Pale Ale; East Side Bitter; Pipers' Pride Scottish Ale; Tippecanoe Common Ale; Black Angus Oatmeal Stout; Star City Lager; I Am An American IPA; and our latest specialty release, Golden Lady IPA.

From John at Half Moon Brewing Co. in Kokomo:

Half Moon is releasing a Summer Wheat Ale on Thurday 6/24.

This beer is a light and refreshing wheat beer for the hot months of summer that is sure to quench your thirst. It’s brewed with sweet orange peel and coriander to give it a fresh citrus flavor that is balanced with a soft spiciness. Crisp, clean, and delicately refreshing.

O.G.=1.046 ABV=5.25% IBU=13

P.S.- Also releasing an India Brown Ale on Thursday 7/1.

From Charles at Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington:

Friday, June 25: Join an Uplander at Moggers in Terre Haute on Friday evening for a guided tasting of Upland brews.

At the Bar

From Lauren at Scotty's Brewhouse:

New to Scotty's Brewhouse West Lafayette: Goose Island Summertime Kolsch!

New to Scotty's Brewhouse Downtown Indianapolis: Founder's Cerise!

New to Scotty's Brewhouse 96th Street: Sun King XX Rye IPA!

New to Scotty's Lakehouse: Oaken Barrel Razz Wheat and Crown Brewing Special Forces IPA!

From Corrie at Goose the Market in Indianapolis:

Anybody can come to the Goose's cellar to GET a beer. Now we'd like to invite HBG readers to come to the Goose's cellar to DRINK a beer. Yup, the Goose is serving cold craft beers by the glass

An ever-changing menu of about 6 local, domestic, and worldly beers is part of the menu in the Goose's new Enoteca, a casual place to imbibe. Sit at the tables or the bar that owner Chris Eley built from the reclaimed lumber of a century-old barn and listen to the vinyl hum on a rehabbed turn table while sampling small plates like house-made charcuterie and farmstead cheeses. The glass and plate menus are always changing, but a few of the combinations we're craving right now include...hot toast layered with lardo and Upland's Nut Hugger...thinly sliced raw fish crudo with a tart grapefruit salad and Hitachino Red Rice...Piraat and a Batali (yup, bring your sandwich down for a brew), and Boulevard's The Sixth Glass with, um, seven glasses.

But not to worry, all of the retail brews are still available on the expanded shelves of the Goose's cellar. These hot days, we're awash with summer seasonals like...

A kolsch is a kolsch unless of course the kolsch is a kolsch like Harpoon's Summer Beer.

Someone sipping a Rogue Somer Orange Honey said it tastes the way summer beers should when they grow up.

Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore. Dorothy has discovered Victory's Whirlwind Witbier. (Never ask a flying monkey to be your DD.)

He will not find the cheapest airline ticket, make toys for kids on the good list, or call Bob Newhart "step dad," but La Chouffe will satisfy any time of year.

Carry Out

From Big Red Liquors in Bloomington:

A few new items, and a few old ones making a comeback!

NEW!!

Newcastle Summer

Two Brother Hop Juice

Weihenstephaner World Cup pack with free glass!

Back in Action!

Anchor Small Beer

Unibroue Quelque Chose

From Bill at Crown Liquors:

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

Mikkeller Big Worst Barley Wine (+ an additional case of Beer Geek Brunch/Weasel)

BrewDog 5 A.M. Saint Red Ale

BrewDog Tokio Oak-Aged Stout, brewed with cranberries and jasmine (18.2% !!!)

Two Brothers Hop Juice Double India Pale Ale (fresh batch)

The Bruery Trade Winds Tripel

The Bruery Coton - 2nd Anniversary Old Ale (limited)

Friday's tasting (3pm-7pm) will feature beer from Left Hand, Two Brothers, and Brasserie d'Achouffe!

Tickets are available for Brew-Ha-Ha (June 26) and B.I.G. Microbrewer's Festival (July 17) here at the store (and other select Crown locations). Get 'em before they're all gone!

From Great Fermentations in Broad Ripple:

Calling All Volunteers

The Indiana State Fair Brewers Cup is looking for volunteers to help out both this coming weekend as well as during the competition. This Sunday, June 27th at 10:30AM we need folks to help check in entries at Sun King Brewery (135 North College, Indianapolis). Lunch will be provided with beer being offered once the work is complete. You are welcome to participate even if you have entries in the Cup but you will NOT be allowed to judge. During the competition, July 9-10, help is needed for stewarding. This is a great opportunity to see the inner workings of the competition as well as a close-up view of what it takes to be a judge. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided as well as entry to the awards ceremony. Please contact John Morrical at jmorrica@sbcglobal.net if you are interested in helping. Thanks!

From Todd at Keg Liquors in Clarksville:

Two Brothers - Hop Juice Double IPA (Illinois)

Brewdog - Hardcore IPA (Scotland)

Brewdog - Tokio (Scotland)

Schlagl - Dopplebock (Germany)

Schlagl - Roggen Gold (Germany)

Rinkuškiai - Before and After (Lithuania)

Edelmeister - Pilsener (Poland)

Weltenburger - Pils (Germany)

Verhaeghe - Echte Kriekenbier (Belgium)

From Joe at Payless Liquors on 96th Street:

Good news for those of you seeking Brewdog's Tactical Nuclear Penguin... it is on its way to the states. The current hurdle? The government deciding how to tax the super-beer. Until it gets the all-clear we will have 5 am Saint available. Also available: Mikkeller Bad/Worst and Black Hole Stout. Big bad beers. Bad in a good way.

Well's Banana Bread Beer is making a comeback if you're looking for something different. Maybe mix it with a bottle of Fruli Strawberry beer for a sudsy shortcake substitute. (Yes, we have that too.) If we don't have something you want, just ask. I'd love to order your beer.

Also new to the store, St. Bernardus Tripel and Abt 12 (Belguin Dubbel.) Both are excellent beers. If you want to do it like the Belguins I suggest a bottle of each and mixing them half and half. Dubbel and Tripel together. I could make a joke about how that equals five, which is the number of smiles your mouth will make when you consume said concoction. However, I'll let you be the judge and leave the humor to the pros.

Looking forward to next week, expect to see both Founder's Devil Dancer Triple IPA as well as Stone's newest anniversary beer. On a bitter sweet note, if you're looking for other Founder's beers they may be difficult to come by for a few weeks (So stock up now!) due to the increasing popularity of the brewery they are having some difficulty keeping up with the increased demand.

From Josh at United Package Liquors in Broad Ripple:

Please join us Friday, June 25th from 7-10PM for Indy's wine & brew fest presented by Stella Artois in the station strip center across from Applebee's in Broad Ripple. Tickets are $25 at all United package liquors locations and $30 the day of the event. Enjoy good food, fine wine, craft and Import beer and live music from the Flying toasters. Draft highlights include- nitro North coast Old Rasputin, nitro Boulder Mojo IPA and fresh draft from Founders, Heavy Seas, Tyranena and many more.

From the Distributors

From Greg at Cavalier Distribution:

We have a bunch of new incredible beers and they almost all seemed to come in pairs:

We have a couple exciting new beers from Brew Dog along with some new packaging as well! Brew Dog 5 AM Saint is a very hoppy sessionable Amber Ale, a Scottish version of Levitation if you will. It will be available year around in 4pks moving forward. Tokio Oak-Aged Imperial Stout is an extremely rare special release, that will be allocated. Also, both Punk IPA & Hardcore Double IPA are now available in 4pks.

The Bruery Trade Winds Tripel & Coton Anniversary Ale are both being released this week in Indiana for the first time. Trade Winds Tripel is their summer seasonal, and is The Bruery's take on a Belgian Tripel style using rice in the mash instead of candi sugar & spiced with Thai Basil. Coton is an extremely rare 100% Bourbon Barrel-Aged Version of their 2nd Anniversary Ale weighing in at 14.5%!! It's extremely limited and allocated.

Clipper City Smoke on the Water & Summer Ale are both making their inaugural appearance in Indiana this week as well. Smoke on the Water is a Smoked Imperial Porter from Clipper City, and the newest release in their Mutiny Series of beers. The Summer Ale is a new addition to their Clipper Fleet line of beers, a sessionable crisp, light ale brewed with both 2-row barley & wheat malt.

Mendocino is releasing two new specialty 4pks this week, an Imperial IPA & Barley Wine!! Both of these are beers that they have brewed before and are now releasing for the first time ever in 4pks!!

There are extremely limited amounts of Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch, Beer Geek Breakfast, Black Hole & Big WorsT that have hit the state and are available in the top Mikkeller accounts in the state.

Sergeants American Amber is a new release from 3 Sergeants Brewing Co. and will be available starting this week.

Thirsty Dog released two new beers to the Indiana market this week as well,Whippet Wheat & Twisted Kilt Scotch Ale. Whippet Wheat is a German-style Hefe-Weizen style beer and is a limited summer release. Twisted Kilt is a Scottish-style Export Ale that will be a year around offering from Thirsty Dog.

2010 Two Brothers Hop Juice is already out in stores and bars across the state! Hop Juice is by far Two Brothers' most highly anticipated and regarded artisan beer!! Like always, it's very limited, so get it while you can.

News around the web:

Rita Kohn's upcoming book, True Brew, is available for pre-order from Amazon.com.

Here's an article I contributed to for the Indianapolis Star / Metromix about 10 beers to try if you are headed out to the Phoenix Theatre Brew Ha-Ha tomorrow.

A link to Ed Wenck's show on WIBC where he and I had a chat Thursday about the article mentioned above. (link in the audio section)

You may not be so lucky

Meeting 18 of the Knights of the Beer Roundtable was unlike any other in that it was the first time we were wanted. Michael DeWeese, owner of the downtown BW3's, contacted Chris and asked him to bring us by to check out their selection of beers.

When thinking of BW3's, maybe the last thing I'd think of is beer selection, but as it turns out Michael is doing things a little bit differently than most BW's. As a result of this deviation from the template, Michael and his business partner Doug are moving the downtown location away from the BW3's concept, and creating a new restaurant named BadaBoomz.

As it stands currently, the downtown BW3's location has 40 taps, starting with your standard Anheuser-Busch products and ending up somewhere far away from anything standard. Once the transformation is complete, Doug claims they'll have 15 drafts no one else is offering - and an even more expansive beer selection than they currently stock.

We started the night with a George Gale & Co. Ltd Conquest Ale, a dull, flat looking reddish-orange drink that smelled of citrus and apple cider. The first taste brought out more of the apple - a strong taste that felt almost soupy on my tongue. This wasn't a hoppy beer, and the taste of alcohol wasn't overwhelming, but you couldn't drink a lot of this - and I don't think you'd want to. It was more a beer for sipping and trying to get your head around.

Our second sample was a 2003 Stone Brewing Company Double Bastard Ale. This had a similar appearance to the Conquest, but poured with a little more head. The nose was sweet and appley, also like the Conquest. But despite the introduction to the style with the Conquest Ale, the Double Bastard was surprisingly strong. Doug described the beer as a baseball bat to the face, and I'd agree with him. It's a bitter beer, but not hoppy... really nothing like anything I'd tasted before.

Both the Conquest and the Double Bastard taught me that not all beers are for quick consumption - some beers are meant to be sipped at, thought about, and discussed. I'd say it's almost a wine aficionado approach; dangerously close to beer snobbery. These beers seems to almost require as many brain cells to understand as they destroy. I'd give both a solid 3 mug rating.

We finished up the night with a Brewery Van Steenberge Piraat ($6.75 per glass), an amber IPA from Belgium. This beer was a nice way to finish up the evening, being a bit milder than our previous choices. The beer had an golden/orange yet transparent appearance in the glass, and a sweet smell that somehow reminded me of Brugge's Black. It had a sweet, almost bubblegum-like taste that hinted at its high (10%) alcohol content. I can tell that this was my last beer of the night; under the category of drinkabilty I wrote the words "I CAN SENSE THE DANGER!". I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean, but I suspect it means that I could drink a lot of it. I'd give it a 3.5 mug rating.

Getting back to the title of the post, I can't promise you that you'll find the same beers we had at BW's. Both the Conquest and Double Bastard came from Michael's personal stash. But that shouldn't stop you from checking out BW's (and BadaBoomz) selection if you get the chance. With the expansive selection you're sure to find something that fits your pallet.

My thanks go out to Michael and Doug for sharing their passion and beer. I'm sure we'll be back when BadaBoomz is open for business.

Random Beer Roundup's At the Bar and On the Shelf

So this experiment of breaking up the RBR...it's really looking to be a bust. Look for the original version to return on Friday.

So thanks for reading. Let us know if you have any thoughts or information. You can contact us, as always, at hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com.

At the Bar

Sam at Buffalo Wild Wings in Downtown Indianapolis:

Alright, here is my random beer roundup for the week. We are starting to add to our bottle selection. On hand is Stone Ruination, Founders Porter, Weihenstephaner Hefe, all the New Belgium stuff, Three Floyds Robert the Bruce, and perhaps a Dark Horse product. Coming tomorrow is Two Brother Domaine DuPage and The Bitter End. As of now our draft lineup is as follows: Stone Arrogant Bastard, Founders Double Trouble, Darkhorse One Oatmeal Stout, Dogfish Head 90 Minute, Three Floyds Alpha and Gumballhead, Bells Oberon and Two Hearted, Victory Prima Pils, Abita Turbodog, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot and Upland Wheat.

May 9 is shaping into quite the lineup. Here is the most updated draft list: Dogfish Head Palo Santo, 90 Minute, and Red & White, Piraat, Gulden Draak, Three Floyds Dreadnaught, Rabbid Rabbit, and Behemoth, Bells Hopslam and Expedition, Goose Island Night Stalker, Founders Imperial Stout and Double Trouble, 2008 Stone Imperial Russian Stout, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. We are doing 5 ounceish pours of each beer for $5 with a dollar going to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Also, I am working on putting together a silent auction to further benefit CF. This has been a rather large undertaking and I hope that we will see a great turnout for a great cause.

On the shelf

Cari at Kahn's Fine Wines in Indianapolis:

New/Back In This Week-
Rogue Mom's Half-E-Weizen
Schneider Brooklyner Hopfen Weisse
Three Floyds Dreadnaught

New Specialty Kegs In-
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 1/6 bl. $50
Clipper City Red Sky At Night Saison 1/6 bl. $95
Hebrew Lenny's Rye IPA 1/6 bl. $130
Hebrew Sword Swallower Steel Hop Lager 1/6 bl. $110

Specials (good through Tuesday, May 5)-
Founders Cerise Cherry Ale $9.99/4 pk
Stone Levitation Amber Ale $9.99/6 pk
Samuel Smith Selection Box $7.99
- includes an 18.7 oz bottle each of Oatmeal Stout, Pale Ale, and Nut Brown Ale plus a tulip pint glass and coasters. Individually these items would retail for $19.99
Berghoff Sampler $9.99 reg. $12.99

Greg at Cavalier Distributing in Indianapolis:

New Beers:

2009 Schneider Hopfen Weiss is hitting the market this week for the first time this year. This is the original recipe from the collaboration between Schneider Brewmaster Hans-Peter Drexler & Garrett Oliver, the Brewmaster from Brooklyn Brewery. This version of the Hopfen Weiss comes from that original recipe developed in Germany between the two famed brewmasters.
Hopfen Weiss uses a traditional German Weissbier yeast, and then undergoes 3 stages hopping including a significant week long dry-hopping with Saphir Hops. The result is a hoppy, aromatic Weissbier exhibiting a wonderful juxtaposition between old and new world brewing, styles and ingredients. The aroma is a wonderful balance between citrus & floral tones from the dry-hopping and banana & clove aromas from the traditional German yeast strain. Dry-hopping is extremely unusual in Germany, the Reinheitsgebot doesn't even mention it, this may be the 1st German wheat ale every dry-hopped!! This beer is a real treat and although it drinks very smooth, it weighs in at a hefty 8.2 % abv. Remember, this is Schneider's Hopfen Weiss, brewed in Germany and bottled in 16.9 oz btls w/the Schneider logo, not to be confused with the 750 ML produced here in the states, which is a different recipe.

Breckenridge Summer Bright Ale arrived this week and should start hitting stores and bars everywhere by the weekend. This is Breckenridge's infamous summer seasonal back again for the warm months. It's a traditional American Wheat, very light and crisp, yet flavorful and complex....a perfect summer quaffer!!

Stone Levitation Ale should have made its way to shelves, coolers and draft lines across the Hoosier state by now. If you have not yet tried this king of session ales, then make a point to and Levitate your tastes. 2007 GABF Gold Medal Winner!!

Random Beer Roundup - The Next Episode Edition

November 3rd: TFN7: Weiner Time!  

Hoosier Beer Calendar

Events are subject to change

From the Brewers

From Skip at Fountain Square Brewing in Fountain Square, Indianapolis:

Put Oct. 6^th on your calendar for the biggest party ever in Fountain Square.  We will be tapping our “Hop Your Face” Imperial IPA along with showcasing 4 bands starting at 2pm.

Our first “Hop Your Face”!  This annual Imperial IPA is aggressively hopped with four different hops and loaded with a complex mix of malts.  Might as Well add dry hops so over 2 pounds per barrel of hops were added to enhance the aroma.   When Push Comes to Shove, this 9.5% brew may drive you to Hell in a Bucket, but at least you’ll enjoy the ride. 

From Ryan at Thr3e Wise Men in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis:

Thr3e Wise Men is now offering a great seasonal lineup! We have our Antonius 1742 Oktoberfest, Sanctaneous Hefeweizen & Replic Ale. Join us on Tuesday’s and get a pint of one of these great beers for only $2!!

From David at Triton Brewing Co. in Lawrence:

TRITON HOUSE BREWS
Fieldhouse Wheat, Four Barrel Brown, Magnificent Amber Ale, Deadeye Stout, Railsplitter India Pale Ale, Sin Bin Belgian Pale Ale, 500 Monks Belgian Strong Ale, Fortshire British Mild

 GUEST BREWS
J.W. Lees 2011 Harvest, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, Saison Brett, Urban Chestnut Zwickel, Widmer Omission Lager (bottle)

 Triton Brewery Events

Clustertruck at Triton Brewing September 19, 5-9pm join 7-8 of your favorite food trucks for our 4th #Clustertruck event at Triton Brewing Company.

Triton Brewing Sprint Triathlon at Triton Brewing Company September 22, race starts at 4pm. Dugan Brothers Band will be playing the finish line.

Triton at Noblesville Brewfest September 29, 4-8pm at Forest Park Shelter #5. Advanced tickets at Vintage Spirits, Noblesville, IN.

Triton Brewing Company at the BrewBracket Tournament of Bourbon Barrel Aged Beers September 29, 6-9pm at Tomlinson Tap Room. Tickets are $45 from brewbracket.com.

October 20, 5-9 pm Triton will be celebrating our first Anniversary. Join us for the release of new three new bottled beers, the official dedication of our Beer Garden, music, food and fun! See us on Facebook and Twitter for more info!

At Bars, Restaurants, and Carry Out
From Jordan at Beer Sellar in Castleton:

New Drafts:

Fountain Square Big Nuggets

Bell's The Oracle

Piraat Ale

Sun King Grapefruit Jungle

Great Divide 18th Anniversary

Three Floyds Moloko

Brooklyn Pennate Ale 55'

Victory/Stone/Dogfish Head Saison de Buff

Sam Adams Norse Legend

Bell's Octoberfest

Victory Donneybrook Stout

Upcoming Drafts:

Against the Grain: So Double its Triple 15% ABV

Mikkeller: Beer Geek Breakfast

Brooklyn Fiat Lux

 Events:

October 3rd:

Schlafly Night with Tom Schlafly:

Come meet Owner/Brewer Tom Schlafly and some of the Schlafly Team.

• Pale Ale
• Kolsch
• Dry-Hopped APA
• Oatmeal Stout
• Porter
• Oktoberfest
• Pumpkin Ale
• Biere de Garde
• Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout
• Oaked Aged Barleywine
• Black IPA
• Tasmanian IPA on Cask

Starts at 6pm Pints of Schlafly will be $3

October 19th:

Goose Island presents: the Return of Bourbon County Brand Stout on draft

tappings are at 7pm

• Bourbon County Brand Stout
• 312
• Mild Winter
• Matilda
• Minx
• Sofie
• A few surprizes that will be announced later

Bottles of

• Juliet
• Madame Rose
• Demolition

From Corrie at Goose the Market in Indianapolis:

Position descriptions & how to apply: http://goo.gl/I2OVS

Goose the Market in Indianapolis, Indiana, is accepting applications for Manager and Assistant Manager.

This full-service butcher shop works with local, domestic, and foreign producers to stock handcrafted foodstuffs including charcuterie, cheese, dry goods, beer, wine, and, of course, fresh meats. Offerings also include ready-to-eat sandwiches, gelato, coffee, small plates, and wine and beer by the glass. The team staffing the shop is passionate about great food and good people, and sharing this passion means providing exceptional front-line customer service.

The Manager is responsible for directing and executing the overall vision for the shop including managing people, products, and operations.

People in the shop include staff and guests. The Manager is responsible for the staff's schedule, training, continued education, and overall performance. Because premier customer service is key to Goose the Market's success, the Manager is also responsible for ensuring that people visiting the shop have a superior experience.

Products in the shop include a quickly rotating selection of prime foodstuffs. The Manager is responsible for stocking shelves and racks with products that represent the best in good, clean, and fair production. This means working directly with producers and importers near and far in person, in writing, and over the phone. The task also requires responding to customer requests and staff suggestions, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of potential new products and their availability, analyzing budgets for cost and profitability, and training staff on new products.

Operations provided by Goose the Market encompass services to the public (like custom butchering, assistance in menu planning. executing pre-orders, and much more) as well as the general working operations that keep the shop moving. Since the Manager is responsible for all these operations, the Manager must have hands-on experience in all aspects of the shop's operations which can range from making sandwiches and washing dishes to managing 500+ Thanksgiving turkey orders to structural upkeep and equipment maintenance. Besides these physical operations, the Manager is also responsible for financial operations including budgeting and POS systems.

The Manager should have at least 1-2 years professional experience working with budgets and fulfilling managerial duties. A passion for good food and drink is required along with strong interpersonal and communication skills. The Manager can expect to work with an Assistant Manager in executing some aspects of the position (including routine product ordering, staff management during individual shifts, and every day operations) as well as working with the owners of Goose the Market in developing and acting out the overall progression of the business. This salaried position involves about 50 hours per week on average.

Applicants for the Manager position should submit cover letter, resume and/or CV, and salary requirements to jobs@goosethemarket.com or by mail or in person at 2503 N. Delaware St. Indianapolis IN 46205. Applications should be submitted AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, in anticipation of starting work no later than October 15, 2012.

Goose the Market is also accepting applications for Assistant Manager. While assisting the Manager in executing the overall vision for the shop including managing people, products, and operations (as described above), the Assistant Manager is responsible for everyday operations which include hands-on leadership of the shop's butchering routine in addition to custom cuts for special orders. Routine ordering, directing staff during individual shifts, setting and executing menus for sandwiches and small plates, managing product rotation, and providing exceptional front-line customer service, and training staff are also part of the Assistant Manager's responsibilities. This salaried position involves about 50 hours per week on average.

Applicants for the Assistant Manager position should submit cover letter, resume and/or CV, and salary requirements tojobs@goosethemarket.com or by mail or in person at 2503 N. Delaware St. Indianapolis IN 46205. Applications should be submitted AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, in anticipation of starting work no later than October 15, 2012.

From Sahm's Place in Broad Ripple:

We will be hosting Tuesday Night Trivia with People's Brewery out of Lafayette this week. We always enjoy there beer and will be having Hop Killa on tap to help make any beer lover a happy drinker.

3rd Thursday will be taking place on September 20th 2012 with Bier Brewery. 5 courses paired with 5 beers will all be for $30. Corbin will be joining us to describe the styles, ingredients used, and the thought process the brewers have when designing certain styles.

Beer in Stock:
People's Hop Killa
People's Mr. Brown
Brooklyn Fiat Lux
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Flat12 Big Black Dog 68
Flat12 Pumpkin Jack
Bells Oberon
Bells Two Hearted
New Holland Ichabod Ale
Founders Dirty Bastard
Victory Prima Pils
Sun King Oktoberfest
North Coast Red Seal
Abita Turbodog
New Day Meadery Washingtons Folly
Bier Brewery Special K
Bier Brewery CLA
Triton Four Barrel Brown
Triton Magnificent Amber
Tyranena Hop Whore

From Ryan at Scotty's Brewhouse in various locations:

Scotty’s Brewhouse 96th Street Indianapolis is now pouring Sam Adams Griffins Bow!! You can enjoy a pint of this tasty beer everday of the week for $7!

Scotty’s Lakehouse is now offering Flat 12 Upside Down Blonde! Come on by on a Wednesday and get a 48oz pitcher for only $10!

From Mike at Yogi's Bar and Grill in Bloomington:

http://www.yogis.com/index.php/about/blog/beer-blog/131-91112

From the Distributors:
From Jen at Cavalier Distribution:

NEW TO THE CAVALIER WAREHOUSE

Hofbrau Oktoberfest - Traditonal Marzen Style Lager; seasonal release; 6 packs and draft

MOA Blanc Evolution - Bottle Fermented Belgian-Style brewed with Corriander; new everyday offering; 4 packs only

MOA Imperial Stout - Imperial Stout aged in Piont Noir Barrels; new everyday offering; 4 packs only

MOA Methode -  Traditional Pilsner; new everyday offering; 4 packs only

MOA Pale Ale - American Style Pale Ale; new everyday offering; 4 packs only

MOA Breakfast - Blend of Wheat Malt, Nelson Hops and Cherries; new everyday offering; 4 packs only

UPCOMING EVENTS

9/18 - Purdue vs IU (Peoples Brewing vs Bloomington Brewing Co) Beer Dinner @ Hearthstone; 7pm      

9/18 - Peoples Brewing Tap Takeover @ Sahm's Trivia Night; 8pm

9/14 - Finch's Event @ The Heorot in Muncie; 9pm-11pm

9/21 - Craft Tasting @ Cap N Cork on Dupont St in Ft. Wayne; 5pm-7pm

9/23 - IPR All Beers Considered Event @ Fickle Peach in Munice featuring all Michigan Beers; all day event

9/27 - Craft Tasting @ Belmont on Illinois Rd in Ft. Wayne; 6pm - 8pm

9/27 - Keg Liquors Fall Tasting in Clarksville; TBA

9/27 - Oktoberfest Party @ Buckhead in Jeffersonville; TBA after Keg Lq Fall Tasting

9/30 - Craft Tasting @ Big Red on N College Ave in Bloomington; 6pm-8pm

10/9 - Bloomington Brewing Co Tap Takeover @ Sahm's Trivia Night; 8pm

10/16 - Finch's Tap Takeover @ Sahm's Trivia Night; 8pm

10/13 - Porter Perfect Pint Festival @ Hawthorne Park in Porter; 12pm-5pm; tickets available @eventbrite.com

10/16 - Finch's Tap Takeover @ Sahm's Trivia Night; 8pm

10/18 - Binkley's Brew Club Event featuring Finchs; 7pm

10/23 - NABC Tap Takeover @ Sahm's Trivia Night; 8pm

11/16 - Celebrate Election Day with Elector at Yogi's; Bloomington; all day event

Upcoming Events
From Stephanie:

In 13 years, it's never happpened... But this is a new day!
JACKSON STREET CLOSED!
14th Annual Festiv-ALE
Presented by: Kahn's Fine Wines

Join us Saturday, September 22nd
4:00-8:00pm
200 S. Meridian St. (Corner of Meridian & Jackson Sts.)

As you have for 13 years, come enjoy over 100 beers under our party tent or take your brew to the street.

Shop our over-the-top silent auction, sing and dance to classic rock played by Saints & Strangers, and cruise on over to our fantastic food bar.

Tickets are available NOW for $45 ($25 is tax deductible)
Procrastinators - $55 at the door ($35 is tax deductible)

To purchase tickets, stop in any Kahn's location to save $2.00 or buy online at http://indiana.cff.org/festivale or call the CF office at1-800-622-4826.

From Mike at Brew Bracket:

Brew Bracket Bourbon Barrel Aged Beer Tournament (BBBourbon)

What makes this one special:
The beers are aged in bourbon barrels from Harrison Bourbon. Indiana beers slowly soaking in the flavor of an Indiana bourbon. It doesn’t get any better than that. The style for the brewers is wide open for any beer they feel would be enhanced with a several month barrel soak. The event will be held at Tomlinson Tap on Saturday, September 29th, as an anchor to National Bourbon Heritage month.

This event will run in a similar format to our standard tournaments. We’re featuring 8 brewers instead of the usual 16. We’ll actually be delivering the beer to the participants at their table and pouring it there, to keep a fun social element with the smaller crowd. Between rounds we’ll offer tastings of Harrison Bourbon to compliment the beers being tasted.

Event Details:
Saturday September 29th, 6-9PM
Tomlinson Tap Room in the City Market, Indianapolis
Ticket price: $45 (early bird special of $40 through July 29)
Tickets available here (http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/258994)

BB101:
Brew Bracket is the only one of its kind, a true tasting tournament for local craft beer. Participating brewers bring a similar style of beer for each event and are seeded randomly into a bracket. Participants blindly taste the beer 2 glasses at a time and vote for their favorites based on taste alone. Over the course of the day winning beers advance through the tournament until a “best beer” is selected at the end of the event. 

From Jason at Tuxedo Park Brewers Supply:

SAVE THE DATE for Fauxtoberfest! 2012

Saturday, October 6, 2012 | 4pm - When it stops!

Bring your Lederhosen and St Pauli Girl outfits. Bring your crazy hats. Bring your kids and dogs. Bring your gramma even. It's a sure-fire fun for all, free for all!

At Fauxtoberfest! we rock the house. We'll have a public, best-of-show style home brew competition, along with some samples of Tuxedo Park Brewers standards and seasonal kit favorites. Entertainment is still being worked out, but we're sure to have a smattering of live music, from bluegrass to rock and roll starting around 5pm. We hope to even bring on a comedian, some fire juggling, magic and much, much more! For those that stayed late last year, you remember: bring on your flippy cup game face. Pete from End of the Line Public House will be providing some great food, inspired by German and American heritage. It's sure to be a really good time!

Purchase your commemorative glass now while they last!

Home Brewers: Join the home brew competition, it's what the day is all about! Instructions: Bring three (3) gallons or more in a keg and show off your wonderful home brewed beer. Each participant will recieve $15 worth of Gift Certificates to the shop! At the end of the night, we'll tally the best-of-show votes , and the top three home brewers will win some wonderful prizes from Tuxedo Park Brewers Supply. Please sign up by October 1, 2012 by emailing adam@tuxedoparkbrewers.com or giving us a call at (317) 408 - 6970.

Custom limited edition glasses are on sale now for $25.

http://www.tuxedoparkbrewers.com/index.phpmain_page=product_info&cPath=20&products_id=501

We hope to see you there!

Random Beer Roundup - The One, The Only, The Original Edition

Well the latest experiment was just crap, now wasn't it? Why mess with perfection? New RBR didn't go well. We will rename it RBR II and never speak of this debacle again.

Welcome to Random Beer Roundup Classic, the tastiest weekly source for beer events, news, and updates.

This week is American Craft Beer week and there are plenty of things going on. The calendar below outlines what we know about, including a charitable big beer event, a beer dinner, brewery open houses galore, several Stone Levitation events, and several regular free beer tastings. If you aren't drinking this week, well there is no hope for you!

Also, quick reminder, we are looking for volunteers for the Indiana Microbrewers Festival on July 18th. Details here.

Remember, if you have anything you want to share with RBR Classic, drop us an email at hoosierbeergeek@gmail.com. On with the show!

Hoosier Beer Calendar
Events are subject to change

Friday, May 8th at Upland Brewing Company in Bloomington:
Entries for the UpCup Competition are due.

Saturday, May 9th, 4pm, at Buffalo Wild Wings in downtown Indianapolis:

This is gonna be my biggest undertaking yet. I am shooting for 12-14 beers above 9% abv all on tap. I can guarantee people will find stuff on draft that they would otherwise not find. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. This is going to be a big event with some big beers. Here is the working list. Please do not take this as a definitive list, meaning more are going to be added as we get closer.

Dogfish Head Red & White 10% ABV
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron 12% ABV
Dogfish Head 90 Minute 9% ABV
Piraat Ale 10.5% ABV
Gulden Draak 10.5% ABV
Three Floyds Rabbid Rabbit 9% ABV
Three Floyds Behemoth Blonde 12.5% ABV
Three Floyds Dreadnaught IPA 9.5% ABV
Brooklyn Black Chocolate STout 10.6% ABV
Bell's Hopslam 10% ABV
Bell's Expedition Stout 10.5% ABV
Goose Island Night Stalker 11.5% ABV
Founders Imperial Stout 10.5% ABV
Founders Double Trouble 9.4% ABV
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot 9.6% ABV
2008 Stone Imperial Russian Stout 10.5% ABV

All are above 9% ABV and will all be on draft at once. They will be served in 5 ounceish pours and cost $5 each with a dollar from each beer going to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Also, a beer that I have yet to determine will have all sale proceeds donated directly to CF. This means a $5 pour=a $5 donation. A silent auction is going to be setup as well with all proceeds going to CF.

Come kick off your summer right with some huge beers for a good cause at Buffalo Wild Wings Downtown.

Monday, May 11th - Sunday, May 17th: American Craft Beer Week

Monday, May 11th - Sunday, May 17th, noon-8pm at Great Crescent Brewery in Aurora:

Open all week. Regular beer lineup - Blonde Ale, Mild Ale, Wit, Stout, Cherry Ale.

Monday, May 11th, 7p at Old Town Ale House in Fishers:
Stone Levitation Celebration; no cover

Monday, May 11, 5p-7p at Kahn's Fine Wines in Indianapolis:
Beer tasting, Stone Brewing Company with Aaron from Stone

Monday, May 11th, 6pm at Rock Bottom Downtown in Indianapolis:
Brewmaster's toast

Tuesday, May 12th at Spencer's Stadium Tavern in Indianapolis:
Sun King Brewing and Chef J.J. will be hosting a BEER DINNER in honor of American Craft Beer Week! Check it out at http://www.chefjjs.com/events/.

Tuesday, May 12th, 7p at Columbus Bar/Power House Brewing Company in Columbus:
Stone Levitation Celebration

Tuesday, May 12th, 7p at Major's Sports Cafe in Carmel:
Hops Fest: Stone Pale Ale, Stone IPA, Stone Levitation Ale, Stone Arrogant Bastard, Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard, Stone Ruination IPA, Bell's IPA, Dogfish Head 60 & 90 Minute IPA's, 3 Floyds Gumballhead, 3 Floyds Alpha King & Victory Hop Wallop; $10; appetizers will be provided.

Wednesday, May 13th, 6p-9p in Downtown Indianapolis:

To celebrate American Craft Beer Week, and make it worthwhile to the great beer drinkers of Indy, all 3 downtown Indy breweries (Alcatraz, Ram and Rock Bottom) will be hosting open houses on Wednesday May 13th from 6-9 pm. So, come downtown and park in one spot to meet the brewers, taste a myriad of interesting beer, check out the breweries, and you just might learn something!

Wednesday, May 13th, 7p at Shallo's in Indianapolis:
Stone Levitation Celebration

Wednesday, May 13th, 7p at Constant Spring in Goshen:
Stone Levitation Celebration

Thursday, May 14th at Power House Brewing Co.'s Columbus Bar in Columbus:
Franziskaner Promotion with t-shirt and glassware giveaways

Thursday, May 14th, 6-8pm, at Big Red Liquors in downtown Bloomington:
Free Beer Tasting

Thursday, May 14th, 6:30-8:30pm:
Master of Beer Appreciation course. Three Thursday evening courses for $120. Visit www.BeerMBA.com for details.

Saturday, May 16th, noon-8pm at Great Crescent Brewery in Aurora:
Open House - in addition to the regular beer lineup, IPA and Coconut Porter; complimentary food and drawings for small prizes.

Saturday, May 16th at Upland Brewing Company in Bloomington:
UpCup judging and ceremony.

Saturday, May 16, 1p-3p at Kahn's Fine Wines in Indianapolis:
Beer tasting, Magic Hat

More Fun After American Craft Beer Week

Monday, May 18, 5p-7p at Kahn's Fine Wines in Indianapolis:
Beer tasting, Clipper City Brewing

Saturday, May 23, 1p-3p at Kahn's Fine Wines in Indianapolis:
Beer tasting, Sam Adams

Saturday, June 6th, 3-7pm at Keg Liquors in Clarksville:
4th Annual Keg Liquors Fest of Ale, 30 + breweries, 3 craft beer distributors, 2 wine distributors and over 100 different craft and import beers to sample. http://www.kegliquors.com/festofale.htm for more details.

Monday, June 22nd at Beer Sellar in Indianapolis:
Big Bell's Brewing tapping, a record breaking 30 different Bell's beers on tap at once.

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

Saturday, July 18th at Optimist Park in Indianaplis:
14th Annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival

Saturday, August 22nd:
A beer event to be announced soon. Stay tuned!

What's Brewing
Price and availability are subject to change

From Jerry at Rock Bottom Downtown in Indianapolis:

American Craft Beer Week featured beers:

Bourbon barrel aged series:
Starting with a English Barleywine aged in a Woodford Reserve barrel, transitioning to Naughty Pappy- a Strong Scotch Ale aged in a 20 year old Buffalo Trace barrel, then on to Naughty Wood- the same Scotch Ale aged in a Woodford Reserve barrel.

Maibock
Sweet and bready malt
flavor with a spicy hop finish. It’s Lagericious!
Hops: German Noble
Malts: English Pale, Munich malts
ABV. 7.6% O.G. 16.6°

Naughty Scot
Strong Scotch Ale-
very malty sweet garnet coloured strong ale.
Hops: Willamette
Malts: English Pale, Crystal, Chocolate
ABV. 9.3% O.G. 20.2°

Schwarzhacker
German Black Lager-
Roasty and smooth.
Hops: Mt. Hood
Malts: Pilsner, Munich, Carafa
ABV. 5.4% O.G. 12.7°

Cezanne
Saison- Belgian
Farmhouse Ale with a tart, refreshing taste and fruity aroma.
Hops: Golding Malts:
English Pale, Summer Wheat, Munich
ABV. 6.2% O.G. 14°

Seasonal Wheat
Hefeweizen-South German Wheat Ale.
Banana aroma, citrus and clove flavors
Hops: Mt. Hood
Malts: Canadian Pale, Winter Wheat
ABV. 5.3% O.G. 12°

Hoosier Ma Stout
Milk Stout-
sweet and creamy. Udderly delicious!
Hops: Golding
Malts: English Pale, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Rolled Oats
ABV. 4.6% O.G. 13.8°

From Scott at Upland Brewing in Bloomington:

Caleb brewed an Imperial Stout this week that should be ready to go sometime in the winter months. It’s the highest gravity beer Upland has ever brewed so watch out!

Valley Weizen – our Spring seasonal - is being kegged and bottled this week. It will be available in our tap room by the end of the week on draught. It should reach shelves in the next 2-3 weeks.

From Jon at Power House Brewing Co.'s Columbus Bar in Columbus:

We will be tapping our Workingan Wheat soon.

Also on May 16th we will be serving great beer at the Crump Theater in downtown Columbus, Indiana, just two blocks from Power House Brewing Co.'s Columbus Bar. Larry Mc Donald will be playing at the Crump, he was featured on the recent John Melleoncamp documentry.

We will be having The Columbus Bar's 70th anniversery in June so watch for details. Most of you know Power House Brewing Co. was formed in 2005 and in 2006 we purchased the old Columbus Bar in downtown Columbus, Indiana. The bar was opened in 1939 and is most likely Indiana's oldest continually operating bar, opening just 6 years after the repeal of prohibition. This is year 70 for The Columbus Bar and we are proud to carry on it's traditions.

At the Bar
Price and availability are subject to change

From Elizabeth at Old Town Ale House is Fishers:

Here's what's on draft this week:
Founder’s Pale Ale - 4
Oaken Barrel Razz Wheat - 4
Upland Wheat - 4
Magic Hat #9 - 5
Bell’s Two Hearted - 5
Bell’s Oberon - 5
Three Floyds Robert the Bruce - 5
Left Hand Milk Stout - 5
Two Brothers Domaine Dupage - 5
Original Sin - 5
Victory Prima Pils - 5
Heavy Seas Holy Sheet - 6
Founder’s Cerise - 6
Brugge Black - 6
Hebrew R.I.P.A - 6
Goose Island Matilda* - 7
Breckenridge 471 ESB* - 7
Victory Hop Wallop* - 7
Mojo Risin Double IPA* - 8
Left Hand Oak Imperial Stout* - 8

*not available as part of "pint night" specials on Tuesdays & Wednesdays!

From Elizabeth at The Wellington Pub in Indianapolis:

look for a keg of Founders Imperial Stout to go on this weekend! Yum!

Carry Out
Price and availability are subject to change

From Big Red Liquors in Bloomington:

There have been lots of new items hitting our shelves as well as reappearances from familiar spring and summer beers.

Two Brothers Dog Days Dortmunder Style Lager
Two Brothers Ebel's Weiss
Two Brothers Bare Tree Weiss
Upland Maibock
Goose Island Summertime (Kolsch)
Magic Hat Wacko (described as a "summer" beer the color of beet juice)
Stone Levitation Ale (their session beer, lower in alcohol but still packing that Stone hop)
Great Divide Saison
Great Divide Dunkel Weisse
Harpoon Summer (another great Kolsch)
Clipper City Red Sky at Night (Saison)
BB Burgerbrau Pils & Dark
Schneider Hoppen Weisse

And, of course, as you all know New Belgium brewery has arrived in Indiana in three varieties -Mothership Wit, 1554 Black Ale, and the famous Fat Tire Amber Ale.

From Todd at Keg Liquors in Clarksville:

New Arrivals:
BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien Grand Cru Trousseau No 3
BFM Abbaye de Saint Bon Chien Grand Cru Trousseau No 5
Berghoff Solstice Wit
Boulder Sweaty Betty Blonde
Founders Curmudgeon Old Ale
Sergeants American Ale
Castelain St. Amand French Country Ale
Left Hand Oaked Imperial Stout
Sam Adams Summer Sampler 12 packs
Stevens Point Special Lager
Cantillon Fou Foune
Cantillon Saint Lamvinus
Jolly Pumpkin Madrugada Stout
Great Divide Saison
Great Divide Dunkel Weiss
Nogne O Toshi Double IPA
Stone Levitation Ale

From Cari at Kahn's Fine Wines in Indianapolis:

New/Back in this Week:
Upland Maibock
Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager
*Brooklyn Local 2
*Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree DIPA
*very very limited amount, please call or email me (beerqueen@kahnsfinewines.com) directly if you would like some

What's Homebrewing
Price and availability are subject to change

From Anita at Great Fermentations in Indianapolis:

New Zealand Pacific Jade is a great bittering hop at 12.9% with a bold, fresh citrus character. Newport is a high alpha hop as well at 10%. Released in 2002 this hop was first tested extensively at Rogue Brewery in Oregon. It is suited well for ales, stouts and barleywines.

News, Reviews, and Gossip

From Cari at Kahn's Fine Wines:

Old Man Winter aka Charlie from Brugge stopped into say hello last week. Welcome back, Charlie!

The Hop Shop on 96th Street is closing (or may be already closed). This is a big bummer for many of us. Courtney did a great job introducing many to craft beer. His store was a good friend to Hoosier Beer Geek. Everybody at HBG wishes him the best of luck in the future.

NABC's Roger Baylor writes about Fat Tire's arrival in Indiana in his Mug Shots column for LEO.

Cavalier Distributing will be pouring Boulder Brewing Company's Flashback Anniversary Ale at the 14th Annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival on July 18th:

An India Brown Ale, Flashback is single-hopped with five separate additions of Cascade hops. Citrusy with a prominent hop aroma, Flashback finishes clean, crisp and dry, with dark roasted flavors from the biscuit and chocolate malts perfectly complimenting the bountiful Cascades. Highly hopped like an IPA but dark and roasty like a Brown, Flashback is a very sophisticated and unique brew.

New York Times had a piece on Yankee Stadium's lack of beer selection.

Wall Street Journal has a blog posting about Larry Bell suing his Michigan distributor.

Schmaltz Brewing has a new monthly e-newsletter.

From Michael Bell at Founder's (via Mat at Cavalier Distributing):

In the “Cherry Capital of the World” it’s no wonder that Founders Brewing Company produces a popular craft beer that highlights this sweet and juicy Michigan fruit. Cerise Cherry Ale, the warm weather seasonal, was released April 1 and is available through August.

“We are excited about this beer, it supports our local agriculture and blends so well with the cherries,” says Alec Mull, Founders’ Director of Operations. “Cherries and beer are a marriage made in heaven, or in our case, here at Founders.”

As much as 53 gallons of Michigan cherries are used in every batch, masterfully crafted by Founders’ Brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki. The Michigan cherries are harvested throughout West Michigan in communities such as Benton Harbor, Coloma, Grand Rapids and, of course, Traverse City.

“Cherries are added during five separate stages of the Cerise fermentation process,” says Kosmicki. “This creates a refreshingly tantalizing beer with intensive flavors, balanced somewhere between tart and sweet.”

More than 9,300 cases of Cerise will be sold this year in Michigan and nearly a dozen other states throughout the Midwest and along the East Coast.”

Cerise – which is defined as a “deep, vivid purplish red” color – is one of the most popular taproom beers at Founders. New to the line-up, it replaces the former fruit beer –Rubeaus.

From Chris at Left Hand (via Mat at Cavalier Distributing):

Left Hand Brewing has always believed in doing the right thing, whether it’s giving back to the local community or trying to reduce its carbon footprint. Over the course of the past few months the crew at the Longmont-based brewery has been hard at work at several projects – check out all the goodness below.

We’ve gone solar!:
Wanting to be more environmentally conscious, Left Hand Brewing has entered into a long-term partnership with Simple Solar, a Boulder-based full service solar electric provider. The brewery recently installed an array of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of the original brewery building. “Being able to harness the power of the all-mighty Colorado sunshine and convert it into electricity to help us brew beer,” said Eric Wallace, President and Co-Founder of Left Hand Brewing, “is not only the right thing to do, but it’ll also allow us to talk & educate our customers about solar energy.” The brewery hopes that over 20% of its electrical needs will be met by the solar panels.

12 packs:
Left Hand Brewing has decided to remove all cardboard partitions from its 12 pack carriers, effectively immediately. The brewery currently has three different 12 packs – Sawtooth Ale, the Mountain Mixer variety pack, and the newly introduced Milk Stout 12 pack. “Being able to reduce our cardboard consumption just makes sense,” says Joe Schiraldi, VP of Brewing Operations for Left Hand.

MS150 Bike Team:
For the second year in a row, Left Hand Brewing is fielding a bike team to ride the MS150, a charity ride benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The 150 mile ride happens this year on June 27-28, and winds through the front country from Westminster to Fort Collins and back. This year the team has exploded to over 60 team members, with 4 Left Handers making the ride this year (Michal Seligson, Chris Lennert, Eric Wallace and Jeff Cohen). To date, the team has raised close to $20,000, with hopes of hitting their $30,000 goal by the time of the ride. This past weekend they raised over $3,200 at their annual fundraiser held at the brewery in Longmont. To find out more, and how you contribute, contact Left Hand’s team captain Mick @ michal@lefthandbrewing.com.

Defense of the Industry Award:
Left Hand Brewing President & Co-Founder, Eric Wallace, won one of three Brewers Association 2009 Achievement Awards given out at the opening session of the Brewers Association annual Craft Brewers Conference held in Boston, MA last month. The F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry Award was awarded to Eric for leading the charge to successfully preserve beer drinker choice and selection in helping defeat damaging legislation in Colorado. The B.A. stated that “Eric’s recent efforts with the Colorado grocery bill were instrumental in keeping the historic relationship between the independent retailer and the craft brewer intact.”

Help Wanted

From Ted at Brugge Brasserie in Indianapolis:

Brugge is looking for a few good people to help us grow.

Scratch that.

Brugge is looking for a few exceptional people to help us grow.

We mean dynamite people.

We're talking knock your socks off "I can't believe this person is standing in front of me" people.

Servers/Kitchen/Host

Email us

Mail@BruggeBrasserie.com

Do not come to Brugge. Well, you can come to Brugge and buy stuff, but don't come looking for work. Send an email. That is the only way. If you come to Brugge we will ask you why you can't follow directions. Then we will hire somebody else. We'll ask you to come to Brugge after we think you really want to work here. We judge that solely based upon your cover letter/email. Go ahead and attach your resume or any other information you think we might find useful.

We work very hard. We also play very hard. But we work hard first because that's the way life is. The exceptional people will not ask to be first out. In fact, they always want to stay. The exceptional people will ask questions relevant to their job. Not ask questions relevant to other people’s lives. We despise gossip. We like food and we like beer and we like the experience of food and beer together. We like turning other people on to that experience and that is the number 1 reason we opened Brugge. The second reason is so we can feed our kids. Successful candidates will come to know and love these children. Free beer is third. We love it when people leave Brugge thinking "That was the best food/drink experience I've had in a long time and MAN was that service great!" We can't get them to do that if we don't all take it upon ourselves to be exceptional. We are really nice people and we show that by being really nice to our guests. Even the ones that we sometimes think are out of bounds. We think we have a pretty good thing going. We'd like to keep it moving forward and we need your help.

The ideal candidate has a PhD in beer, is a 4-star chef, is as pleasant as Mr. Rogers, has never had any addiction except that nagging perfection thing, loves to do doubles, has a real knack for workplace psychology and is a clean freak. Ideal candidate also has worked on a mussel farm, is a skilled potato peeler and speaks several languages.

We look forward to your emails.