TRADITIONAL BEER FROM A TRADITIONAL MAN

October 20, 2007

by Thomas Marine

From Mendocino, CA, to Kokomo, IN – John Templet learned his craft of beer making from traditional brewmasters.  As engaging as his beer, John believes in the tried and true basics of what makes brewing an art blended with science.

 

When the Half Moon Brewery (http://www.halfmoonbrewery.com), just off 31 on the south side of Kokomo, opened, the owner, Chris Roeger, decided to be a traditionalist in a traditional town.  So, who better to run the beer making than Templet.

While at the Mendocino Brewery (http://www.mendobrew.com) after his education in brewing at U.C. Davis, John trained under revered brewmaster Don Barkley.  Mendocino is famous for their Red Tail family of beers.  Then, John moved on to Boscos (http://www.boscosbeer.com) in Memphis, TN, where he worked with Chuck Skypeck, another brewer with conventional “four ingredient” beliefs.

John also pointed to Anchor Steam (http://www.anchorbrewing.com/), Sierra Nevada (http://www.sierranevada.com/) and New Belgium (http://www.newbelgium.com/index.php) as beers that have influenced his style over the years.

“We’re keeping Half Moon small,” John said, “and we believe in delivering the best beer to our customers.”  Although he wouldn’t say “never,” currently there’s no intention of supplying the beer off premise.

John’s biggest surprise when starting up the brewing at Half Moon was the culture of the clientele in Kokomo. 

“It really did take me off guard,” he said.  “We have plenty of home brewers that frequent our place, and there’s lots of beer conversations around the bar.  There’s a lot of beer culture here.  We’ve already got 200 mug club members in the first six months.”

As the only Brewpub in the area, Half Moon has a captive audience, but they also have an extensive selection of beer offering which keeps the Beer Geeks coming back, according to Templet.  After starting out with a basic six, the addition of two more tanks has allowed John to extend beyond his conventional contributions.

“I’m not a Stone or a Rogue by any means,” John said, referring to some of the Extreme brewers, “but, I do give my beers a little kick.”

He’s not kidding, most of his beers carry a higher alcohol content than many brewpubs.  Plus, although becoming more popular as “hopheads” saturate the community, he carries an IPA as one of the mainstays on tap.  More on each beer below.

“I believe that each of the selections should be the true style from which they came,” he said.  “I use only four ingredients – water, barley, hops and yeast.” Of course, when brewing the German-style beers, the final ingredient of “God” always comes into play – an old German saying.

However, in keeping up with the demand (and his own experimental nature), John did brew a berry beer recently – a Blueberry Wheat. However, there’s just a hint of the fruit, and it probably accentuates the hops more.  The name “Blueberry Blue” makes it a Colts’ Fan’s favorite, which is how it got its name.

Another thing you won’t find at Half Moon is much filtering of the beer. That’s right. Only one of his beers, the standard American Pilsner, is filtered. It’s also his only lager selection.  It’s on the menu as it’s a favorite of the owner.  “I can make some decent beers,” he assured with a non-boastful confidence.

Originally from Baton Rouge, LA, John is also proud of the menu at the Half Moon. Many of the items on the food list are born out of beer (or at least the name is). 

The Brew Fingers BBQ really gives the Chicken almost a pork flavor. Their signature sauce is smoky with just the right amount of sweetness.  The Fried Mushrooms also hit the spot, while the Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip was delicious. Although desserts didn’t make it to the table, the Porter Puddin’ sounded especially appetizing.  All of these made in a brand new kitchen, with equipment supplied by Central Restaurant Products out of Indianapolis (http://www.centralrestaurant.com/). 

On top of that, the business it’s kid friendly (they eat for free on Tuesdays); and they have a unique restroom sanitizing process, which the ladies will love.  John’s sense of humor came through when talking about the kid’s eat for free – “that doesn’t mean drink for free,” and then the conversation went down a series of turns that ended up with much laughter.

“I enjoy what I do,” John said. “People are really the same everywhere.  It’s about families and doing things right.”

John puts in a lot of time making his beers measure up to his standards, but he still has time to pursue some of his passions, like softball and LSU football.  But, when it comes down to it, beer is his life.

“This is my home as much as where I live. It’s where I’m supposed to be.  I can’t imagine doing anything else,” he said.  “I plan on being here a long time, and I just want my beer to speak for itself.”  It does, John, it does.

Look for his entries in upcoming brewing event!

THE BEERS

Pre-Prohibiton Pilsner – Although the name may indicate this is a corn-based beer, it’s not. That’s a 100 percent two-row Pilsner, with a quality flavor for the American taste buds.  It comes in a 4.1 percent and 13 IBUs.

Wildcat Wheat – Unfiltered and easy drinking, this wheat has turned into one of his biggest sellers, and it’s a good way to get the microbrew drinking amateur exposed. It’s 4.5 percent and 13 IBUs.

Spotlight City Red – A classic Red with lots of Caramel sweetness, but enough hops to take it to 25 IBUs.  At 5.7 percent, you’re starting to see John’s influence with the alcohol.

Old Ben Brown – An American Brown, it’s maltier than the Red with a hint of chocolate. But, it’s well balanced on the back end at 30 IBU’s.  And, again, at 6.3 percent, you’ll probably need to limit the intake. But, it’s not meant to be gulped, this is a flavorful beer that needs to be appreciated.

Elwood’s IPA – Although John wasn’t as proud of the current batch as he’s been of previous ones, it still remains the most outstanding beer on the menu – especially for the hop heads.  John would have liked to have used Cascade hops on this entry, but had a limited selection at the time he made the current batch, and he settled for Glacier hops.  But, at 7.1 percent and 52 IBUs, it’s truly an enjoyable experience.

Cole Porter – This is a hearty 7.3 percent beer, but it’s not syrupy like some Porters can be. But, the flavor is definitely a true Porter. It’s balanced with 31 IBUs.

Sycamore Stump Oatmeal Stout – A seasonal (like the Blueberry mentioned above), John is especially proud of this entry.  Unfortunately, the IPA kept tugging back and it got left on the table.