In this early Thanksgiving edition of Publicanista!:
NABC brewery news: Expansion project nearly complete, and brewing to begin anew very soon.
Poor Richard's Ale for Benjamin Franklin's tercentenary.
Closed Thanksgiving Day, but Misha's coming to play on Saturday night.
Still a cask-conditioned respite as we await English firkins.
Extensive reading at the Potable Curmudgeon's beer blog.
Saturnalia MMV draft lineup changes are documented.
Current draft beer lineup features two Bamberg Rauchbiers at once!
Rich O's rotating bottle list has five outstanding new beers.
Hours, events, esoterica and ADVANCE WARNING: SMOKING POLICY CHANGE AT RICH O'S.
I. NABC BREWERY NEWS: BREWERY EXPANSION PROJECT DRAWING TO A CLOSE.
Intrepid NABC brewers Jesse Williams and Jared Williamson have been laboring tirelessly to complete the installation of our new fermenters and serving tanks.
They're pictured here in the room formerly known as the game room, now awaiting a new name, which is located in the Sportstime Pizza seating area near the brewery. The four gleaming new occupants are almost ready for duty, although the beer lines have yet to be run to the new tapping station. In the main area of the brewery, the two new fermenters are being plumbed into the glycol system and also will be up and running soon.
NABC brewery expansion almost finished; brewing to resume by November 28.
NABC brewery expansion update.
Obviously, almost a month lost to the expansion project means we'll be brewing from scratch, and when Jesse and Jared resume brewing, NABC will simplify its core portfolio during the remainder of 2005. We appreciate your patience as we work toward achieving our various goals, and promise much fun and experimentation in 2006, when we'll branch back out and resume production of the specialties.
One thing we'll definitely be brewing is a version of the recipe for Poor Richard's Ale as part of a Brewers Association promotion celebrating Benjamin Franklin's tercentenary on January 17, 2006. We're asking that local homebrewers participate, too. Read all about it:
NABC to join breweries nationwide in celebrating Ben's 300th with Poor Richard’s Ale.
II. THANKSGIVING CLOSING & MISHA FEIGIN THIS SATURDAY.
Remember that we'll be closed all day on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, but will open again on Friday morning for regular business hours Friday and Saturday.
On Saturday, November 26 (9:00 p.m.), Misha Feigin performs live at Rich O's Public House. He'll probably wear his furry hat again ...
III. CASK REPORT: A BRIEF RESPITE WHILE WE CATCH OUR BREATH.
Having judged the continuous cask ale experiment a success, and with having proved to our satisfaction that the cask breather works as billed, we're taking a short break from the hand pull. Apart from NABC firkins that Jesse and Jared bring on, the next wave of cask-conditioned ales will be English and Scottish, which are scheduled to arrive after Thanksgiving.
RCH Old Slug Porter, firkin
Harvey's Sussex Best, firkin
J.W.Lees Manchester Star, firkin
Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Special Reserve, firkin (Scotch barrel-aged)
For more information on cask-conditioned ale:
Horse Brass Pub (where our friend Biscuit works)
Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)
Warm, Flat and Boring -- the Truth About Cask Ale, from www.RateBeer.com.
IV. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
Here are seven recent articles posted at http://potablecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/:
Bad Elf freed in Connecticut ... but the "fight is definitely not over."
NABC in the New Albany Tribune.
The Curmudgeon makes a radio appearance.
Ram and Oaken Barrel stopovers during an Indy roadtrip day.
Main Street Jeffersonville chili and beer, and a St. Matthews landmark changes hands.
My father, Veterans Day and good beer.
Gravity Head 2006 advance preview.
V. SATURNALIA MMV DRAFT LINE-UP CHANGES; COMING SOON TO A TEMPLE NEAR YOU.
The Saturnalia MMV line-up has undergone three changes (so far).
Unexpectedly (and happily, as it could not be obtained in 2004), Rogue has made Santa's Private Reserve available on draft as a John's Locker Stock selection, so it has been added to the Saturnalia roster. So has Young's Winter Warmer.
Meanwhile, it doesn't look like Urthel's Hibernus Samaranth Quadrium will be available in time for the winter solstice festival. If possible, it will be moved to Gravity Head, for which it is well qualified.
The Saturnalia draft "previews" have been a great success, and there'll be at least one more this week, with a keg of Three Floyds Alpha Klaus on tap as of Tuesday, November 22. Preview kegs were "doubles," i.e., we received more than one, and they've helped to liven the draft selection in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
The fest begins on December 16 and runs into the first weeks of the New Year. Anyone for a toga party in Prost!, our new banquet and conference wing that we're working presently to remodel?
VI. 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 assistance from Jared Williamson.
Beak’s Best … English ESB named for world-famous traveler, scholar and drinks aficionado “Beak” Barry. Standard strength.
Bob's Old 15B … Brown Porter from the recipe book of noted homebrewer Bob Capshew.
Community Dark ... Dark colored, but light tasting. Our interpretation of the classic English Mild.
Guests from near and far.
Market pricing.
BBC Beer Company (corner Main & Clay) APA
Rogue (dry-hopped) St. Rogue Red
Schneider Aventinus Weizen Doppelbock
Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)
Three Floyds Alpha Klaus (Saturnalia preview)
In the bullpen:
De Dolle Oerbier (different batch -- new/old yeast)
VII. NEW ROTATING BOTTLED SELECTIONS.
Here are five new bottled selections to usher in the holiday season, although they're not "Christmas" beers as such -- there'll be others in two weeks. I promise to have them priced and stocked by 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23, and then it's first-come, first served.
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.
De Dolle Special Extra Export Stout - 11.2 oz - Preview a Saturnalia draft selection and reflect on Kris's typically eccentric take on a rare (export stout) beer style.
Jolly Pumpkin Luciernaga "The Fire Fly" - 750 ml - Try this on for size ... an oak-barrel aged, bottle-conditioned "pale ale brewed in the Grand Cru tradition" with coriander and Grains of Paradise. Subtle and incredible.
Jopen Koyt - 750 ml - Dutch "gruit" (spiced) ale from Haarlem, near Amsterdam, home of my good friend Boris and the outstanding Cafe Briljant, where I wish I could be drinking Jopen ales right now.
N'Ice Chouffe - 750 ml - From those creative "gnomes" in the Ardennes comes a longtime favorite seasonal winter warmer (10% abv). Dark and deep, but deceptively drinkable.
Panil Barriquee - 750 ml - Flemish style sour red ale brewed in Italy (this is not a misprint) and aged in cognac barrels. A bona fide classic, and probably the best "new" bottled beer at Rich O's in 2005.
Previous guests/seasonal/rotating, and still available:
Avery "The Kaiser" Imperial Oktoberfest
Bell's Batch 7000 (A Commemorative Brew)
Breckinridge "Small Batch" 471 IPA
Jolly Pumpkin La Roja
Cassissona
VIII. 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:
Note: We'll be closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, but open again on Friday morning for regular business hours Friday and Saturday.
Saturday, November 26 (9:00 p.m.): Misha Feigin performs live at Rich O's.
Saturnalia! 2005
Begins Friday, December 16.
Gravity Head 2006 (Vol. 8)
Note a date change: Gravity Head 2006 has been moved forward two weeks, and will begin on Friday, February 24. I have every reason to believe this will occur this year only, and in 2007, the festival will revert to the second weekend in March.
ADVANCE WARNING: SMOKING POLICY CHANGE AT RICH O'S.
Effective on January 2, 2006, the front seating area at Rich O's (seven tables by the windows) will be added to the current non-smoking area. Smoking will continue to be allowed in the bar area and Red Room, and in the Sportstime Pizza dining area.
Credits:
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 Association.
Questions or comments about editorial content should be directed to Roger A. Baylor: potable@richos.com.
THE END.
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