In this edition of Publicanista!:
We'll be closed on Saturday, December 31 (New Year's Eve).
Saturnalia MMV already winding down, with 5 selections still on tap and a handful in transit.
NABC brewery gradually catching up.
Random reading at the Potable Curmudgeon's beer blog.
Current draft beer lineup.
Cask-conditioned English firkins still reportedly coming this way, some sweet day.
Rich O's rotating bottle list selections.
Hours, events and esoterica ... Smoking policy change at Rich O's.
I. RICH O'S PUBLIC HOUSE AND SPORTSTIME PIZZA WILL BE CLOSED ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31 (NEW YEAR'S EVE).
We'll reopen on Monday, January 2 for regular business hours.
II. SATURNALIA MMV CONTINUING ... BUT BARELY.
After 10 business days, Saturnalia's first wave is almost gone, as is much of the second wave, with a few selections still in transit.
Saturnalia beers on tap as of Thursday, December 29:
De Dolle Stille Nacht ... Belgium
De Ranke Pere Noel ... Belgium
Kiuchi Hitachino Nest New Year Celebration Ale 2005 ... Japan
New Holland Phi ... USA
Young's Winter Warmer ... UK
Yet to come, but still in transit:
*Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout ... USA
JW Lees Moonraker ... UK
*La Rulles Cuvee Meilleurs Veoux “Best Holiday Wishes” ... Belgium
Upland Winter Warmer ... USA
Scratched owing to wholesaler incompetence:
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale ... USA
Depleted, gone, dry, done, tapped and away:
Anchor Christmas Ale (“Merry Christmas & Happy New Year”), Arrogant (Oaked) Bastard, Avery Old Jubilation, Corsendonk Christmas Ale, *De Dolle Special Extra Export Stout, Delirium Noel, Gale’s Christmas Ale 2003, Great Lakes Christmas Ale, Left Hand Milk Stout, Mahr’s Christmas Bock, N’Ice Chouffe, *Oaken Barrel Epiphany, Ridgeway Santa’s Butt, *Ridgeway Seriously Bad Elf, Rogue Chocolate Stout, Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar, Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve, *Schmaltz He’Brew Jewbelation 5766, St. Feuillien Cuvee de Noel, *Summit Winter Ale, Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Xmas Porter.
III. NABC BREWERY NEWS: BREWING HAS RESUMED.
Previously I pointed out that It’s official: NABC is the “brewery with no beer”, but even though beer has yet to reach the taps, we're making considerable progress in restoring service.
Poor Richard's Ale, which we're subtitling "Old Lightning Rod," is finished and will rest until tapping on January 17, 2006, as part of the nationwide Brewers Association promotion celebrating Benjamin Franklin's tercentenary.
NABC to join breweries nationwide in celebrating Ben's 300th with Poor Richard’s Ale.
There will be a special advance preview of Poor Richard's Ale for the FOSSILS homebrewing and beer appreciation club at its meeting on Sunday, January 8.
Batches of Elector and Community Dark also have been brewed, and these will be ready soon. Bob's Old 15B and Croupier IPA are next in line for brewing. This will begin to make sense during the first couple of weeks of January, so please stay tuned.
As stated previously, NABC will simplify its core portfolio during the remainder of 2005 and the first part of 2006 as we work toward restoring a semblance of routine. In effect, the core portfolio of familiar styles will be repackaged and presented anew, with fresh logos that I can't wait to unleash on the drinking public. There'll be more on that in future issues of Publicanista!
IV. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
Here are recent articles posted at http://potablecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/:
Publican announces DaveFest 2006 for May (dates TBA).
How the Curmudgeon spent his Christmas holiday.
Militaristic microbrewing in Northern Indiana.
More on the new Irish pub coming to St. Matthews.
Creator of low-calorie beer dies.
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 assistance from Jared Williamson.
They're fermenting as you read. Until then, it’s official: NABC is the “brewery with no beer.”
Guests from near and far.
Market pricing.
De Dolle Oerbier (different batch -- new/old yeast)
Rogue Juniper Pale Ale (formerly Yellow Snow)
Rogue Mogul Ale (John's Locker Stock series)
Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)
VI. UPDATED CASK REPORT: DUO STILL SOMEWHERE OUT ON THAT HORIZON.
With apologies to Joe Walsh, confirmation finally has been received that the next wave of English and Scottish cask-conditioned ales are traveling in this direction.
RCH Old Slug Porter and Harvey's Sussex Best (firkins) will be first, perhaps by the first week of January, 2006.
Notice how I add a week or two to this projection with each issue of Publicanista?
J.W.Lees Manchester Star (firkin) looks more like late January, 2006.
The firkin of Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Special Reserve (Scotch barrel-aged) will be delayed until mid-January at the earliest. It might be held for use during Gravity Head 2006, depending on the final arrival date.
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.
VII. NEW, AND IN SOME CASES RARE, ROTATING BOTTLED SELECTIONS.
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.
Fantome Noel - 750 ml – Darker, stronger, spicier and displaying the funky house yeast character of Fantome. Only a dozen bottles; act quickly.
Fantome Saison – 750 ml – Eclectic Ardennes elixir, with a spicy fruitiness and an unmistakably wild, yeasty elegance.
Founders Breakfast Stout – 12 oz – Brewed with oats, chocolate and coffee, and every bit as nutritious and filling as the name conveys.
Zinnebir X-mas – 750 ml – Little is known about this tiny brewery, and its X-mas ale is the first Zinnebir product we’ve ever had, here or in Belgium. If you try one, please take notes and share with the Publican (who’ll get around to his bottle in time).
Previously posted, and still available in limited quantities:
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:
Breckinridge "Small Batch" 471 IPA
VIII. EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.
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.
It's an issue that will be contentious for a long time to come, but when it comes to our decision to reconfigure the non-smoking area, rest assured that the rationale is purely market-driven. Numerous customers now request non-smoking seating beyond what is currently available, with the bottom-line-unfriendly result that the non-smoking area often if filled, while half the remaining room remains empty.
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:
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.
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 and Brewers of Indiana Guild.
Questions or comments about editorial content should be directed to Roger A. Baylor: potable@richos.com.
THE END.
