Indiana Beer News from September, 2003

9/30 - INDY - Chalkies' Ringing in the Bells, as advertised, introduced the new seasonals from Kalamazoo: 2-Hearted, Best Brown, Winter White.

They also have a cask conditioned 2002 2-Hearted on the counter right now. Yep, hoppy - overbalanced of course. Floral with a touch of grapefruit. Unfiltered dull bronze. Assertive but not overwhelming in nose and on tongue.

Bells Best Brown - One of the first pulls on a full keg produced an opaque brown beer with plenty of CO2 in small bubbles. This gave a sharp maltyness at the front with good balance. The sharp CO2 edge never left but this should tone down as the keg gets more head space.

Bells Winter White - Your first view of this unusual beer in your glass may shock you. It's a thick, cloudy, whitish yellow, super hefe with little head. They use a Hefe yeast and a Belgian yeast in tandem to give noticable banana/clove of the German style with a bit of fruit undertone from the Belgian yeast.

Also on tap at Chalkies are the regular Belgian line, Three Floyds Gumball Head, Lost Coast Indica IPA, Bluegrass Am. Pale, Arcadia Scotch, Mad Anthony Amber Lager, and Allagash Double. All at $2.50 or $2.75 per pint.

9/30 - The Great American Beer Festival - 2003 Winners have been announced. Indiana brewers received only two medals - a small disappointment.

Upland's Pale Ale won a silver medal in the highly contested Bitter category. (Deschutes Brewery won the gold and BridgePort's Blue Heron won bronze - neither are available in Indiana).

Oyster Bar's Lighthouse Ale won a bronze in the Kölsch category.

Another Indiana winner (albeit an ex-pat): Dave Chichura, the head brewer at Mountain Sun in Boulder won a gold medal for his "1535 Pearl Street Porter".

9/30 - INDY - In town in World Class Beverages' warehouse: Dogfish Head Punkin. Belhaven Wee Heavy, Allagash White in 12oz bottles (an Indiana exclusive), Blue Moon Pumpkin.

9/29 - Michigan goes to .08 tomorrow.

9/28 - INDIANA - NEW BREWERY? - Two stories in the Marion, IN, Chronicle-Tribune tell of Markus Klein from Hanover, Germany, who "set up a big tent in the parking lot of Family Pharmacy on Wednesday and created a mini-Bavaria inside to find out whether Grant Countians might bite at a taste of Deutschland." Basically he's talking about building a German restaurant and microbrewry in Gas City, IN. Don't know when or if but it looks likely.

9/28 - There's a morning-after pill? And the KGB invented it? RU-21, a "mix of vitamin C, carbohydrates and amino acids" are about 25¢ per pill. Take one before drinking and after every other drink. Voila, no hangover. article

? 9/28 - The US is watching the Bruichladdich distillery for weapons of mass destruction. article


Oktoberfest per a Reuters photo

9/27 - That's the Beeline in Orlando. This truck had 1800 cases of beer before it flipped on this entrance ramp. Not big news but who doesn't like to see a good wreck?

9/27 - "Scientists" at the University of Vienna who had nothing better to do sat down a bunch of men, pictures of women, and some beer. Drunk guys rated women higher. Period. It's true. BUT drunk women rated pictures of men lower when sober. Yike. article But in Scotland, there was "no difference in the beer goggles effect between men and women". article Now to figure the difference between Scottish and Austrian women.

9/27 - Oregon, being the center of all that is weird that California hasn't already claimed, has hosted the first ever US All-Organic beer festival. 25 breweries brought Certified Organic offerings including Wolavers, Pinkus, Ukiah, Butte Creek, Fish, Deschutes, Portland, Full Sail, Hair of The Dog. article

9/26 - INDIANA - Less than a dozen people made it through the labyrinth to the The Great Lakes Brewing Kickoff at Nick's English Hut last night. Oh well.

In October we should be getting Great Lakes' Anniversary Ale - a Belgian tripel at 10% - and their Christmas Ale.

9/26 - INDY - It's been predicted that when the Wittekirk comes off the tap at Chalkies a Hitachino Nest White Ale will go on.

9/26 - INDIANA - Bloomington Brewing's Java Porter isn't out yet but it may be tomorrow.

9/26 - INDIANA - "Hooray for Bureaucracy! Keg tagging is in full effect starting on Saturday." That's how the article in the Purdue Exponent starts. Good reading.

9/26 - Molson to buy Sam Adams?

9/25 - INDY - BW3 is tapping the Sprecher Oktoberfest today.

9/25 - Blue Grass Brewing in Louisville has another batch of Hell for Certain that will be ready in about 2 weeks.

9/23 - INDY - Shallos had a fall beer tasting last night attended by 100 or so folks. Quick tastes:

  • Red Hook Hoptoberfest - Hoppy in the cheeks.
  • Kirin - Crisp and recommendable.
  • Aventinus Eisbock - Bold, balanced, thick dark bock. Wonderful heritage.
  • Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA - Yum. The Eisbock is a good lead-in.
  • Stone Smoked Porter - Some smoke but more balance.
  • Tabernash Oktoberfest - Bolder than expected
  • Planet Porter - CO2 in abundance. Porter to brown style.
  • St. Sebastiaan Golden Ale - Intriguing. Rich fields of hay?
  • Sam Adams Octoberfest - Mild.
  • Hacker Pschorr Original Oktoberfest - Robust. Worthy.
  • Leinenkugel Oktoberfest - Like SA.

9/23 - INDY - Broad Ripple Brewpub's Voktoberfest  is dark orangy. A sturdy bitter amber using the old CircleV recipe with Munich and carafoam malts and saaz and tetnangen hops.

Last week Dan McBride cam down from northern Indiana and brewed his State Fair winning Mt Baldy Ale Belgian Pale at BRBP. It should be on tap around the end of October.

Kevin's also sitting on a second year's batch of Proud Papa's Anklebiter barley wine. It's due for release on January 13th.

The Porter on the hand pull is thick with a Guiness brown head. Chewy, bready, massive. Restrained roasty notes.

9/23 - Anheuser Busch will roll out a new line of premium-end products, "Anheuser Select". Bottles only at first - reminiscent of Michelob's introduction.

9/22 - INDY - New in town in bottles: Two Brothers Heavy Handed IPA (made with fresh hops). Tabernash Oktoberfest. Shipyard Pumkin Head Ale. Sprecher Oktoberfest. That Sprecher will be on shortly at Chalkies, BW3, and the Herot. Also look for Rockies Brewing Hazed and Infused and Sun Dance Amber on tap soon.

9/22 - The CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain for 2003 is Harviestoun's Bitter and Twisted "a refreshingly hoppy beer with fruit throughout. A bitter-sweet taste with a long, dry, bitter finish. A golden session beer".

9/22 - The six holding tanks at The City Brewery in La Crosse, WI, are being repainted back in to the world's largest six-pack. From 1970 through 1999 they were painted as cans of Old Style when it was owned by Heileman.

9/22 - George Dickel distillery in Tullahoma, TN, is opening again after being closed for 3 years. The new, British, owner will use the old recipe but new whisky (that's how Dickel spelled it) is 10 years away. Meanwhile, the Dickel #12 white label in stores is really 12 years old since they are bottling the oldest inventory first. article

9/19 - INDY - Shallos has Oktoberfest spirit. Becks, Sam Adams, Goose Island, Hofbraü in bottles. Spaten on tap.

9/19 - INDY - John's in Greenwood has 3 Ommegang's in 25oz bottles for $4.99 each.

New to the area is a cheaper Mackeson Stout. Whitbread's chewy sweet milk stout is now only $7.59 a 6-pack. Yep, a 6-pack. It used to be a 4-pack when it was made in England. Now it's "Brewed and bottled under the strict supervision of Whitbread's brewmasters, Whitbread PLC., London, England by the Whitbread Beer Company, Cincinnati, OH 45214"

Berghoff is back with their pale ale. Don't bother.

9/19 - INDY - Ken Price at Oaken Barrel is working hard to make up the backlog but Monarch keeps ordering more. Brooke has left the building and Fred has gone on walkabout - well, Winnebagoabout.

In two weeks look for a steam (California common) beer. And Apple Buzz should be back for Halloween by popular demand of the staff. It's 1/2 Malt and 1/2 Cider specially blended at Adrian Orchards. Sells out quickly so don't blink.

9/19 - INDY - Alcatraz's Octoberfest. Rich copper. Light body. Malty attack and a mouth-drying bitter finish. No alcohol notes. Easy drinking lederhosen dropper at 7% ABV. A worthy, classy beer.

9/19 - INDY - Rock Bottom's cask conditioned offerings are both Pale Ales. One is dry-hopped with Mt. Hood for a floral finish. The other id dry-hopped with Cluster hops for a citrus grapefruit finish.

The Rocktoberfest is a 5.2% Vienna lager. Bright, crisp, goes down smooth and quickly.

The real German beer is Tim's Dunkelweizen. It's an unfiltered (hefe) with thick cloudiness enhanced by the brown color. Highlights in the mouth include banana/clove of a German hefe with the addition of strong chocolate flavor and aroma. World class beer made in Indiana.

9/19 - INDY - Ram's Oktoberfest is reddish copper with a big thick head. In early October the Mordecia Brown will be back - aged in a Woodford Reserve whiskey barrel  Last June Dave did one aged in a Booker's whiskey barrel.

Around December Tim will have a Coffeeless Coffee Stout using a new malt from Franco-Belges. The packaged malt grains have a strong coffee bean aroma and a crunchy roasted bean taste without the strong bitter of coffee beans. Should be very interesting.

9/19 - Wine drinking women are more fertile than beer drinkers. article

9/17 - INDIANA - Mad Anthony has more beers on tap now than ever before. Gabby Blonde, Auburn Lager, Ol Woody Pale Ale, Harry Baals Irish Stout, Ruby Raspberry wheat, Big Daddy Brown Ale, Kolsch, German Wheat, Black Bavarian Lager, Octoberfest. Coming in 2 weeks: MABC E.S.B. On Handpump. Mondays are $1.25 per pint.

9/16 - today's Northern Indiana news brought to you by Great Lakes Brewing News - Jim Herter reporting. Pick one up at your favorite bar.

9/16 - INDIANA - Dan McBride's State Fair best of show beer, Mt. Baldy Belgian Ale, is on tap at Duneland Brewing.

9/16 - INDIANA - Aberdeen Brewing's first lager due shortly is an historic Oktoberfest. November will bring an oatmeal stout.

9/16 - INDIANA - Back Road Brewery has added a new fermenter and another conditioning tank and are still working hard to keep up. In October they will release Pecker Head Red. In November, No. 9 Barley Wine.

9/16 - INDIANA - Mad Anthony will have a Bavarian Black Lager and an ESB in October.

9/16 - INDIANA - Three Floyds are now preparing Alpha Klaus and Dark Lord Imperial Stout for our cold weather relief.

9/16 - Bell's three fall seasonals, Winter White Ale (new), Best Brown, and Two Hearted are slated for a Sept 29th release (see calendar item above about Chalkies).

Kalamazoo Brewing's blurb says "KBC designed Bell's Winter White Ale in a unique manner creating an American Wheat Ale that is a fusion between the Hefe-style and a Belgian-style ale. Brewed with American wheat, Winter White is fermented with a proprietary blend of Hefe and Belgian ale yeasts. The result is a refreshing new style that subtly combines otherwise classic flavors. Winter White will be sold exclusively on draught throughout the brewery's nine-state trade area."

"On October 6th, the remainder of KBC's fall portfolio will be released, including Bell's Special Double Cream Stout, Bell's Java Stout, Bell's Cherry Stout, Third Coast Old Ale and Bell's Expedition Stout. - - In late October, expect the release of Batch 6000 Ale, part of the commemorative series of beers that celebrate the brewery's progress, with special "one-time only" brews. K.B.C.'s 6000th batch is a barley wine, with a malty body and an exotic hop combination."

9/12 - INDY - Chalkies has Dogfishhead 60 Minute IPA, Allagash Dubble, and Mad Anthony's Amber on tap.

By October they should have 6 more taps - room for more Belgians. Right now the lineup is Piraat, Gulden Draak, DT, Bavik Lager, Lindeman's Framboise, and Wittkerke Wheat. The plan is to have over 100 Belgian beers available a dozen on tap and lots and lots of bottles.

If the people who make internet connections know their stuff, Chalkies will become a complimentary wireless internet cafe in a couple of weeks.

Now for the review: Two Brothers' Bitter End is a bright copper with a good lacey head. Malty nose and a crisp hop finish from Northwest and Noble hops (we would guess).

9/12 - INDY and INDIANA - We reported on 8/26 about the Brewers of Indiana Guild's proposal for a Guild House in Indianapolis. Well, it didn't make it. It was culled in the first cut - maybe because of other restaurants in the area, maybe because the building going to a non-profit will erode the property tax base. The powers that bee say "it would not address the needs of users of the Canal". Oh well, they'll try again.

9/12 - Great American Beer Festival - Participating Breweries.

9/12 - Carlsberg is closing their Stockholm plant because there's too much uranium in the water. article

9/9 - INDY - BW3 - Shipyard Brewing makes Old Thumper under license from Ringwood Brewery in Hampsire, England. It's chock full of Challenger and Goldings hops for a true British ESB experience. 5.9% ABV. Lovely stuff. Mike has also put some of his private stock of vintage beers on the menu.

9/5 - INDY - Alcatraz will have a hefe weizen on early next week. A sample from the fermenter was smooth and soft with subdued spicy notes. Omar feels the banana character was tamed by a lower-than-normal (66° fermentation).

9/5 - INDY - BW3 has Red Hook IPA at $2.75 for a 23oz glass.

9/5 - INDIANA - Mad Anthony has an Octobeerfest and a Black Bavarian lager on. "This years Octobeerfest Lager is a malty but well balanced beer with a fiery orange color. This is a traditional German style lager served in the Octoberfest beer tents in Munich. A new addition to the fall lineup is our Black Bavarian Lager which is a smooth, medium bodied, black lager beer with only a slight hint of roasty character."

9/5 - INDY - Dick's Bodacious BarBQ 9is being franchised by Mike DeWeese (as you know). There's one at 96th and Gray Rd and another opening in Broad RIpple in October - BarBQ and Piraat. They'll go together.

9/4 - INDY - Rock Bottom's Man Child Belgian White Ale is an unfiltered light oak ale. A nice malty aroma. Plenty of orange in the taste and long aftertaste. 5.6% ABV. Crisp and clean. Yum.

The Brewers Stash IPA is still on. It's a nitrogen pour with an easily discernable high sweetness and low bitterness. Very interesting beer.

The cask conditioned Red dry hopped with Northern Brewer is still on the handpull and has been joined by Tim's IPA.

9/4 - INDY - Barley Island Pale Ale is on the handpull. Served suitably warm, it's nicely hoppy with a touch of biscuit.

9/4 - In Minnesota, they are raising $12,000 for a Hamm's Bear monument in St. Paul. article

9/1 - Have you bought your copy of Hopped Cuisine - A Guide to Cooking with the Beers of the Bloomington Brewing Co? Do you need to be told where you can get it?

9/1 - INDY - Shallos business is up since Old Pottery opened next store. Regulars, as usual, congregate at the darker, left end of the bar. Those on the "widower's bench" seem to sit in front of the beer doors. Women with a shopping bags have been seen to walk in, pick out their husband, and say "Honey, It's time to go."

9/1 - Spaten's new Oktoberfest is out and on tap at Shallos. Served suitably cold with a creamy white lacey head. Probably lightish brown gold (sorry, there isn't a white light anywhere in Shallo's). Not much nose but a delicious malty flavor. Smooth, balanced without outright bitterness. World class stuff (of course).

9/1 - Note to self: It isn't proper to laugh at a bartender vainly trying to layer a half-and-half.

9/1 - INDIANA - RichO's has Leipziger Gose, German beer on tap now. See what Michael Jackson says about it.

While Roger Baylor's back was turned, Assistant Brewers Joey Burns and Chris Spellman have made Bush Hog - the lightest beer allowed in this Lite-Free zone. It's 8% ABV using English malt with corn and sugar adjuncts for a lighter body. All-noble hops give a lighter hop note. It's elegant and very drinkable.

9/1 - INDIANA - Oh dear, they've spilled their mailing list. Both New Albanian Brewing's and FOSSILS (the homebrew club) email lists have gone to random-bit land and they want you to re-sign up at The New Albanian and FOSSILS web sites.

9/1 - INDIANA - The Pizza Today trade journal looks at the problems and rewards of brewpubs including

9/1 - INDIANA - Read all about (or at least one side of) the feud between New Albanian Brewing's Roger Baylor and Big Red Liquors in Bloomington.

9/1 - INDIANA - There's been a shift of players on our chessboard of life.