In this edition of Publicanista!:
"Drinking Liberally" at Rich O's, November 15.
Wal-Mart exposed; documentary showing downtown on November 16.
Poor Richard's Ale for Benjamin Franklin's tercentenary.
NABC brewery news: (To repeat) Fermenters and serving tanks arrive, installation underway.
Cask-conditioned respite.
Reading at the Potable Curmudgeon's beer blog.
Saturnalia MMV draft lineup taking shape.
Current draft beer lineup.
(To repeat) Rich O's bottle list revised and new beers added.
Events and miscellany: Misha Feigin at Rich O's on November 26 ... As of January 2, Rich O's front room to be smoke-free.
I. DRINKING LIBERALLY? COME TO RICH O'S ON TUESDAY 
NIGHT, NOVEMBER 15, AND MEET YOUR PEERS.
On Tuesday, November 15 Drinking Liberally comes to Rich O’s for a 7:00 p.m. gathering. Readers who agree with the organization’s stated aim of spreading democracy “one pint at a time” are encouraged to attend.
Previously at NA Confidential: Drinking Liberally – coming soon to Rich O’s?
Louisville DL takes road trip to Rich O’s in New Albany, by Vicki Sansbury (from Drinking Liberally’s on-line forum).
Also, Drinking Liberally helps kill the pain for lefties, by Stephen George (Louisville Eccentric Observer, July 5, 2005).
II. WAL-MART DOCUMENTARY FILM TO BE SHOWN IN DOWNTOWN NEW ALBANY ON WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16.
While we're on the topic of social consciousness, there'll be an event next week that has nothing much to do with beer, but quite a lot to do with life in general. The Constituency For Progress and Destinations Booksellers are to screen "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" documentary film on Nov. 16. It’s an outdoor showing (at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.) at the Farmers’ Market, corner of Bank and Market in downtown New Albany.
For more information, read Stunning at the Volunteer Hoosier blog, and visit these two links at NA Confidential:
Speaking of Wal-Mart, as the movie release date draws nearer, Bentonville begins circling the wagons.
Unsurprisingly, "Wal-Mart Healthcare Mythology Shattered."
III. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN'S 300TH BIRTHDAY PARTY IS COMING IN JANUARY, 2006, AND WE'LL COME BEARING A GIFT.
Specifically, NABC has signed on to brew a version of the recipe for Poor Richard's Ale as part of a Brewers Association promotion. 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.
IV. TO REPEAT, THE NEW ALBANIAN BREWING COMPANY WELCOMES SIX NEW ADDITIONS TO THE FAMILY.
And five of them are visible in the photo. The two taller vessels are fermenters, and the squat ones are jacketed brite/serving tanks, the latter destined for duty in what used to be the game room at Sportstime Pizza, where they will supply a new draft system.
Our brewers, Jesse and Jared, are hard at work at the installation, with the first phase slated for completion within the next two weeks. Read more here: Bouncing baby fermenters and serving tanks finally arrive.
While we're working on this expansion project, brewing will be temporarily suspended. When brewing resumes, NABC will simplify its core portfolio during the remainder of 2005. We appreciate your patience as we work toward achieving these various goals, and promise fun, beery things in 2006.
V. 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.
VI. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
Here are recent articles posted at http://potablecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/:
Gravity Head 2006 advance preview.
Thursday, Nov. 10 Upland tasting at The Keg Liquors in Clarksville.
A day as fine as today should have been spent in a beer garden.
VII. SATURNALIA MMV DRAFT LINE-UP NEARS COMPLETION; COMING SOON TO A TEMPLE NEAR YOU.
Here's an updated Saturnalia MMV line-up, which is reasonably final pending the usual last-minute no-shows and alterations. This is a fresh link, replacing the broken one from last week's issue.
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?
VIII. 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.
Croupier IPA ... Jesse's American-style IPA.
Guests from near and far.
Market pricing.
De Dolle Ara Bier (Belgium)
De Dolle Oerbier (Belgium)
Mojo IPA (Boulder Brewing Co.)
Poperings Hommel Bier (Belgium)
Rogue (John's Locker Stock) Hop Heaven
Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)
In the bullpen:
BBC Beer Company (corner Main & Clay) APA
Rogue (dry-hopped) St. Rogue Red
IX. TO REPEAT: QUARTERLY BOTTLED BEER LIST CHANGES AND NEW ROTATING BOTTLED SELECTIONS.
Two weeks ago, I completed a major upgrade of the bottled beer menu at Rich O's, with the aim being to stock more and better American microbrews, leaning heavily toward the most flavorful side of the style ledger.
First, some background.
Generally, our regular, daily bottled list comprises around 200 selections, including everyday beers, vintage beers, ciders and meads. Another 15 to 20 beers rotate seasonally, by availability, or owing to my personal interest in feauturing them, and these choices are written on the blackboard -- not included in the printed beer list.
The printed beer list is checked and updated roughly on a quarterly basis. I look for beers that are not selling well, and close them out if there appears to be no hope for repositioning. To be honest, you never know how well a beer will do. As with any product, there is a magical, mysterious consumer matrix that incorporates price, quality, image and intangibles, and aspects of it can be buffed and polished to some extent, not always successfully.
There are times when one must punt. I've tried in vain to develop a following for Shipyard's (Maine) ales, and largely failed. I'll let them rest for a while, and maybe try again next year.
Obviously, given the perishable nature of beer, stocks must rotate. Something less than a third of the beers we keep in stock are ones that must move quickly -- for example, lighter beers, pilsners, lower gravity lagers, and the like.
However, the majority are beers designed to be kept for a while (at least), and among these are some that will keep for a long time. Among these are higher gravity beers and bottle conditioned beers.
Without further ado ...
Here are the microbrewed additions:
Avery "The Beast" Grand Cru
Avery "The Czar" Imperial Stout
Avery "The Reverend" Quadrupel
Founders Dirty Bastard
Founders Red's Rye
Great Divide Hercules Double IPA
Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Rogue XS I2PA
Rogue XS Old Crustacean Barley Wine
Rogue XS Russian Imperial Stout
New imports (here now):
Broughton Black Douglas (Scotland)
Christian Drouin Poire (French pear cider)
Moving from seasonal/rotating to full-time duty:
Glazen Toren Saison d’Erpe Mere
Uerige Doppel Sticke
A new wave of guest bottles is about to break (most out now):
Avery "The Kaiser" Imperial Oktoberfest
Breckinridge "Small Batch" 471 IPA
Founders Black Rye
Great Divide Hibernation Ale
Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza
Jolly Pumpkin La Roja
Previous guests/seasonal/rotating, and still available:
Bell's Batch 7000 (A Commemorative Brew)
BBC Hell for Certain
Cassissona
Oaken Barrel Saison
Rogue Chipotle Ale
Shipyard Pumpkinhead
Stone 05/05/05 Vertical Epic
Stone 9th Anniversary Ale
X. 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 completely closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, but open again on Friday morning for regular business hours.
Saturday, November 26 (9:00 p.m.): Misha Feigin performs live at Rich O's with pianist Pete Peterson.
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 of Indiana Guild: http://www.brewersofindianaguild.com/
Questions or comments about editorial content should be directed to Roger A. Baylor: potable@richos.com.
THE END.
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