Mahon's Mash

by Mark Mahon

Welcome once again as I skip merrily down memory lane and tell you of my most recent travels! Was that a little much?

Ok, maybe it was, but I see you are still with me so lets us continue

First up....One of my newest, bestest and most favorite places in town... Alcatraz! I stopped in again earlier this month, while I was waiting for the wife to get off work, to see if the still had the Black Lager, which they did, they also still had the Trappist and Abbey seasonals on tap along with their normal house beers....Looking forward to whats coming up! I haven't been in for a week or two, so it's time for me to stop in again and see what's new.

The same day I stopped in at the Ram they had their Maibock, ESB and Estrella Del Sol Vienna Lager, on tap. You know, I really need to post more often... by the time you read this most of these beers will be just fond memories.

Oh well what's a body to do? I owe, I owe so it's off to work I go...at least until I find my dream job, where I spend my time traveling around, drinking beer, and writing articles.

As you have undoubtedly seen already, Mr Bob Ostrander is back, and I finally met up with him for a couple beers, at the College Park Rock Bottom. Besides thanking him for getting me involved in Indianabeer.com, we talked about the Brewers of Indiana Guild, where he is the Marketing Director. He showed me some of what he is doing. And one of those things is....Starting in July or August they will be offering a Brewers of Indiana Guild Associate Membership So stay tuned for more on that. It is sure to be worth the money! As for beers, they had a very nice Pale Ale on the handpull and a Catcher in the Rye Seasonal ale.

Next up we head back downtown to BW3's to check out their tap list....Mike DeWeese passed on the he recently picked up a couple kegs from Marvin...Yea the Marvin of Chalkies fame. one had gone bad, but the other two he had on tap. One of them was a McAuslan Oatmeal Stout. It had lost most of its carbonation, but none of it flavor! It's always a treat to stop in and see what Mike has on tap.

I also stopped in at the Ram. Still the same beer on tap, but found out that On 6-1 They will have the tapping of their Salsalito Ale. And for those who joing their Mug Club we will be heading over to Victory Field for a Indians Ballgame. So stay tuned for a report on the Salsalito Ale.

On 5-18 I hit the BRBP again after my bimonthly stop in at Great Fermentations, to pick up some brewing supplies. It's sad to see that Great Fermentations will be moving, but I also look for the expanded inventory! Oh well what a few more minutes travel! On tap they had their ESB, Cervesa De Sol, Lawnmower pale ale, American Wheat, and on handpull Monon Porter and Wobbly Bob American Pale. And since I was in the neighborhood.... how could I not stop in at the Brugge Brasserie. I haven't seen Ted in quite a while and I was hoping he would be around especially since I missed the one year anniversary party due to work...no such luck...On tap they had Old Dog The grand Cru, The Black, and their Pilsner. Oh well... I'll catch up with him sooner or later!

Now for something completely different....A Hail Ye..Hail Ye is in order, and I for one couldn't be more pleased....for those of you who live on the west side of Indy are already aware, Plainfield has been on a building kick for quite sometime....especially a place called The Metropolis.The newest version of a shopping center/mall. And in this comples situated just off Perry Road I found the West sides newest addition to good beer, the Claddagh Irish Pub.

Now I have visited the 96th St Claddagh, and wasn't really impressed. Maybe it was just a bad day, and in all fairness I need to go back and revisit it. But the new Claddagh in Plainfield had a really good beer selection..not stellar, but still very good. On Nitro they had Murphy's Irish Stout and Guiness....give me a Murphy's over a Guiness any day! On tap they had Smithwicks Irish Ale, Kinsale Irish Lager, Murphy's Irish Red, Boddington Pub Ale, Strongbow Cider, Stella Artois, Bass, Harp, Newcastle, Heiny, Amstel Lite, and Blue Moon. In bottles/cans I saw Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Killians, Hacker Pshorr Weisen, Chimay, Pils Urquell, Old Speckled Hen, Murphy's Stout.... Finally the West Side has a good beer bar again!

Well kiddies, that is all I have for you. So until next time...

Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.