In this edition of Publicanista!:
- Cask-conditioned NABC Elector & Uerige Doppel Sticke, both tomorrow (Friday, August 5).
- NABC’s Stumble Bus, Kaiser pre-Prohibition Pils and retro Kentucky Komon all on tap now.
- Recent readings from the Potable Curmudgeon’s beer blog.
- Current draft beer lineup.
- Bottle board news: Cassis, chipotle and lots of German malts.
- Events and miscellany.
I. TWO CASK-CONDITIONED ALES THIS FRIDAY, AUGUST 5: NABC ELECTOR, AND UERIGE DOPPEL STICKE.
On Friday, we’ll be pouring NABC Elector (it always makes democracy pointless) from the hand-pull, AND imported Uerige Doppel Sticke (8.5% abv) by gravity-dispense from atop the cask cabinet.
Neither the Elector (7.2% abv) nor the Uerige quite fits the heated (and clichéd) mid-summer description of umbrella-topped, wheat-infused foo foo ales … and intentionally so. If any beer remains at closing Friday night, we’ll discount it and have a leftover picnic Saturday afternoon while I’m tending bar.
For more information on cask-conditioned ale:
http://www.horsebrass.com/cask.html (where Biscuit works)
http://www.camra.org.uk/SHWebClass.ASP?WCI=ShowDoc&DocID=2185
II. NABC NEWS: RETRO BEER IN FASHION AT NABC AS KAISER 2ND REISING RETURNS AND KENTUCKY KOMON DEBUTS.
The second coming of NABC Kaiser 2nd Reising is being marked by improbably high consumption rates, so act quickly if you want a couple pints of this authentic and hoppy formulation of New Albany’s own Pre-Prohibition Pilsner.
The most renowned brewery in 19th-century New Albany was owned by Paul Reising, a German immigrant who set up shop at the corner of Spring and West Second. Like other continentally trained brewers in America, Reising found it necessary to adapt Old World recipes to New World ingredients. Expensive imported German hops were reserved for aroma and flavor, while less delicate homegrown varieties provided the bittering. American six-row barley replaced or augmented European two-row, and some corn was thrown in for good measure. The result was your great-grandfather’s pilsner.
His everyday beer might well have been the style known as Kentucky Common, or “Kommon,” a famous version of which was brewed at the Phoenix Brewery near the present-day Phoenix Hill Tavern. Following are three articles that explain the background and formulation of Kentucky Common/Kommon.
Read local beer writer Conrad Selle’s description of Common/Kommon here:
http://www.richos.com/beergospel/common.htm
Read Selle’s descriptions of pre-Prohibition beer styles here: http://www.lagersclub.com/louhistory.htm.
Read one homebrewer’s recipe and comments here:
http://homebrewer2005.blogspot.com/2005/06/kentucky-common-beer.html
Beer and an imagination running rampant
http://cityofnewalbany.blogspot.com/2004/11/beer-and-imagination-running-rampant.html
Finally, NABC’s formidable Stumble Bus is on tap for a very short time. Of the final three kegs in the batch, the one currently pouring and the one scheduled for release on September 6 will be the last two consumed in 2005. There will be a final keg of Stumble Bus remaining, but it will be held for Gravity Head, 2006.
III. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
Here are a few recent articles posted at http://potablecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/:
Check out the L&N Wine Bar & Bistro's Local Microbrew Dinner on Monday Aug. 8 at 7:00 p.m.
Jim Koch of Sam Adams scores points with the Curmudgeon by "insisting glass is best."
PC in GA: Beers in Savannah.
PC in SC: Hilton Head Brewing Company.
IV. BREW AT THE ZOO IS AUGUST 27.
Saturday, August 27, 2005 is the 2nd Annual Brew at the (Louisville) Zoo, this year presented by BBC Beer Co. (corner of Main and Clay in downtown Louisville. Those who attended last year’s inaugural event will recall that it was a great time, but that there were shortages of food and beer. Rest assured that the steering committee members have been working very hard to see to it that it doesn’t happen again, and I fully expect this to be a highlight of the Louisville-area beer year calendar.
4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (Zoo closes at 9:00 p.m.)
4:00 pm. - 6:30 p.m. Food Sampling
Tickets can now be purchased at participating Breweries for $25. Tickets will go on sale at the Louisville Zoo Ticket Office. Zoo Members can purchase tickets for $25. Non-Member tickets prices are $30. Tickets purchased the day of the event will be $35.
Some of the info preceding was taken from the Zoo’s website: http://www.louisvillezoo.org/news/events/brew.htm
V. DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.
Our NABC beers.
Brewed in New Albany by NABC’s Jesse Williams, with help from Chris Spellman and Jared Williamson.
Beak’s Best … English ESB named for world-famous traveler, scholar and drinks aficionado “Beak” Barry. Standard strength.
(On again Sat., Aug. 6)
Community Dark … A dark-colored, light-bodied English Mild, and the ideal place to begin overcoming unfounded fears of the dark. 4.5% abv.
ConeSmoker … Smoke and hops collide, and we’re grateful for it.
Kaiser 2nd Reising … For this batch, NABC’s Jesse Williams used California Common yeast, 6-row malt and corn (decoction mash); Fuggles, East Kent Golding and Hallertau hops. 5.9% abv.
Kentucky Komon … Mild, dark-colored, a tad sour – very refreshing throwback ale. 5% abv.
Stumble Bus … Mighty ale from the final batch of NABC beer brewed by the departed Michael Borchers. 10% abv.
Non-Gravity guests from near and far.
Market pricing.
Alpha King
Arrogant Bastard
Bell’s Cherry Ale
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
De Dolle Oerbier
Einbecker Urbock Hell
Guinness Stout
Hitachino Kiuchi Nest Real Ginger Ale
La Rulles Summer Ale
Lindemans FramboiseMestreechs Aajt Flemish-style Red Ale (Netherlands)Pilsner Urquell
Poperings Hommel Ale
Rogue Anniversary Ale (“Glen”)
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Smithwick’s Irish AleSpaten Premium LagerSprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic) Weihenstephan Hefeweissbier Dunkel (our featured summer Hefeweizen)
In the bullpen:
Fantome Saison
Jenlain Farmhouse Ale
Leipziger Gose
Mahr’s Ungespundet Lager
Ridgeway Espresso Grande Stout
Schlenkerla Marzen & Spezial Rauchbier (which will be poured in alphabetical when NABC ConeSmoker is gone)
VI. CHECK THE CHALKBOARD FOR ROTATING BOTTLED SELECTIONS: CASSISSONA, PANIL BARRIQUE, UERIGE DOPPEL STICKE AND ROGUE CHIPOTLE.
Remember to check the chalkboard in the front room at Rich O’s for bottled specials and seasonals. These are the bottled beers not carried on the everyday bottled list, and represent a wide variety of flavors and textures for your tasting enjoyment.
To begin with, who says there aren’t craft-brewed beers in Italy? Cassissona is a cassis-infused, bottom-fermented beer matured for six months in the bottle before release. 6.5% abv. Brewed near Como by Birrificio Italiano. A pretty 750 ml bottle of Cassissona goes for $16.00 on premise, and like all bottled beers, it is less for carry out.
Have I lost my mind? Two Italian beers that aren’t Peroni or Moretti? Maybe so, but I’m really excited about Panil Barriquee – dark, sour, Belgian-like, aged in Cognac barrels, and brewed in a suburb of Parma. 8% abv, $19.50.
See also some really good comments about Panil Barriquee at RateBeer ratings and reviews.
At the recommendation of Emily, my always-helpful World Class Beverages representative, I’ve purchased a case of Rogue Chipotle Ale, which is said to be a refashioned version of the old Mexicali Rogue. Amber in color, with the typical house character of Rogue, the ale is lightly seasoned with smoky, peppery notes. 22 oz bombers, $6.75.
Uerige Doppel Sticke comes from Dusseldorf’s ranking Altbier brewery, and is a new creation that begins with the special recipe “Sticke,” but turns up the volume to beyond Doppelbock strength (8.5% abv). An 11.2 oz bottle sells for $6.00 (on premise).
VII. EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.
General business hours:
Sportstime Pizza opens at 11:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Rich O’s opens at 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and at 1:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. We are not open on Sunday except during special events. The same food and beer is available at all times in both rooms, so you may have lunch and a beer in the Sportstime Pizza dining area during those hours when Rich O’s isn’t open. The brewery is available for a look-see if one of us is around and we’re not busy.
2005/06 events:
Lupulin Land Harvest Hop 2005
Begins Friday, October 7.
Saturnalia! 2005
Begins Friday, December 16.
Gravity Head 2006 (Vol. 8)
Date TBA announced. It is possible that the date for this edition of Gravity Head will be moved forward two weeks into the end of February.
Credits:
Unless otherwise indicated, Publicanista! is written and edited by Roger A. Baylor, who welcomes your comments, invites you to pass this along to other interested parties, and reserves the right to waste time drinking beer or bicycling rather than worry about deadlines.
For periodic beer news and commentary, visit the Potable Curmudgeon’s Beer Blog: Potable Curmudgeon.Readers who aren’t as familiar with our business should go to http://www.newalbanian.com/ and http://www.richos.com/ for more information. NABC is a member of the Brewers of Indiana Guild: http://www.brewersofindianaguild.com/
Questions or comments about editorial content should be directed to Roger A. Baylor: potable@richos.com.
Questions or comments about the web sites or mailing list should be directed to Christopher M. Spellman:
chris@newalbanian.com.
THE END.
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