I. LETTER FROM THE PUBLICAN: THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME.
II. ODDS AND ENDS ABOUT BEER AND BEER EVENTS.
III. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
IV. DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.
V. EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.
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I. LETTER FROM THE PUBLICAN: THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME.
After last evening’s showers, it’s a cool and delicious morning with precious little humidity, but when the calendar pages have turned to June, you know it won’t be comfortable much longer.
For a variety of reasons, there’s less pub and pizza trade in summer. School rhythms change and people spend time outdoors, doing yard work, exercising and grilling out. They (and I) also travel. The NABC brew crew will be kept busy all summer working the many festivals that we’ve committed to attending.
I’ve tried as best I can to have the events calendar (see below) updated to reflect the festivals and off-premise occurrences this summer, including the much anticipated French meal and Biere de Garde tasting at Bistro New Albany on July 16.
There’ll still be selected events at Rich O’s, such as the forthcoming Lambic by the Glass tasting, but the on-premise schedule will be light for the next couple of months. I’ve already started researching beers for Lupulin Land (October) and Saturnalia (December). Along with Gravity Head, these showcases get more and more complicated as time passes. It’s never a question of what we can get away with offering during these times, but finding the best beers available for vending.
In closing, have you ever contemplated the meaning of the word “progress,” or by extension, “progressive?”
Progress is about movement, development and improvement – always forward, and never backward. When I reflect on the approaching 14th anniversary of my involvement in the pub, pizza and brewery business, the thing that makes me proudest is the knowledge that when it comes to beer and beer appreciation, all of us have steadily progressed, and as the coordinator of beer operations, it has become ever more challenging for me to stay ahead of the various curves.
Honestly, if there were such a thing as a World Cup for patrons of good beer establishments, I’d bet on our clientele against any other. You know your stuff, and you keep me on my toes. Thanks for being there.
II. ODDS AND ENDS ABOUT BEER AND BEER EVENTS.
On Thursday, June 29, I'll be emceeing a food and beer pairing at Louisville's Caffe Classico: Advance notice: Beer and food pairing with the Curmudgeon at Caffe Classico, June 29.
DaveFest 2006 rolls on, with a vigil being kept as we await the arrival of Dave's two chosen Rogue Ales (Chocolate Stout and Smoke): UPDATED: DaveFest 2006 under way.
As yet, nary a soul at Churchill Downs has returned my messages of inquiry as to why NABC was listed to participate in a festival that I did not agree to do (or, in fact, was ever once contacted about): Churchill Downs Microfest? We'll pass.
NABC's brewer, Jesse Williams, continues preparations for his series of summertime "gruit" ales, including Pictish Heather (with honey), a brew flavored with mugwort, and another with rye and juniper berries.
It's just a few more days until Hoptimus is ready. Although cask season is winding down, there's a bit more cask-conditioned NABC St. Radegund Bitter to be poured, and it will be coming tomorrow.
See the events section for updates on summer fests and coming attractions.
III. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.Here are recently posted articles:
Part 2: Rebuffed at the source, circa 2002, or “Okocim Porter’s finally back.”
Part 1: Return of the day of the living dead, or “Okocim Porter’s finally back.”
I wouldn't object to a ban on Lite beer, either.
New Albany dining news: bNA, Federal Hill Cafe, and La Rosita's.
Stratto's now open in Clarksville, with Bob's Old 15-B on tap.
Rich O's Public House cracks the Top 20 in Beer Advocate rankings.
IV. 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.
Bob's Old 15-B ... We're calling it a robust, brown Porter precisely because style definitions were meant to be bent.
ConeSmoker ... Elegant Franconian smoked malt, an above average “noble” German hops presence and warm fermentation -- new twists on an old style.
Croupier IPA ... Jesse's homage to our casino employee clientele is modeled on the English interpretation, with a few American flourishes.
Community Dark ... Based on English Mild, and our light-bodied dark quaffer. 5% abv.
Elector ... Making Democracy pointless since 2002; English malt, American hops. 7.2% abv. Double Red?
St. Radegund Bitter ... From the tap or the hand pump, classic English bitter.
Guests from near and far.
Market pricing.
Staples:
Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)
DaveFest beers
Two Brothers Domain DuPage French Style Country Ale
New Holland Blue Goat Doppelbock
Weihenstephaner Weissbier Dunkel
Bullpen:
Rogue Chocolate Stout (late; ETA June 15)
Rogue Smoke (late; ETA June 15)
Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel
V. 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.
Rich O's: The front dining rooms at Rich O's are designated as non-smoking areas. The bar area and Red Room are open for smoking (cigarettes, cigars, pipes). We strongly discourage clove cigarettes, which are divisive even among smokers.
Sportstime: Smoking is permitted in the entirety of Sportstime Pizza.
2006 events: 
Weekly on Wednesday evening @ 7:00 p.m.
Drinking Liberally (New Albany & Southern Indiana) meets in the Red Room each Wednesday. Contact organizer Lacy Davis for details.
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Saturday, June 24
Lambic by the Glass
UPDATED: Third annual "Lambic by the Glass" coming on June 24, and here's the revised scoop.
Also:
Brew-Ha-Ha in Indianapolis
Brew-Ha-Ha in Indianapolis on Saturday, June 24.
Proceeds from Brew-Ha-Ha go to the Phoenix Theatre’s Annual Fund Drive and support the theatre’s year-round artistic, educational, and outreach programs.
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Thursday, June 29
Caffe Classico food and beer tasting
Advance notice: Beer and food pairing with the Curmudgeon at Caffe Classico, June 29.
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Sunday, July 16
Bastille Day Biere de Garde Dinner & Bike Ride
This event currently is being planned in conjunction with the Bistro New Albany, and it will take place at bNA and include a reservation-only multi-course French-themed meal with a fixed price that includes ample portions of Northern French ale: St. Sylvestre Gavroche, Thiriez Blonde, Amber and Extra, Jenlain, Cuvee des Jonquilles (Biere de Garde de L’avesnois), La Choullette de Noel and Les Sans Culottes.
On July 16 prior to the dinner and tasting, there'll be a bicycle ride for those willing. We're calling it the Tour de Garde, or something equally ridiculous.
Coming in July: Bastille Day, French cuisine and Bieres de Garde -- all at Bistro New Albany.
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Saturday, July 29
Brewers of Indiana Guild (BIG) Festival in Indianapolis
For details, visit the Guild's website.
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Saturday, August 12
Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin.
It’s one the top three beer fests in the nation, a perennial box-office sell-out, and certainly the big event with the most relevance to NABC. Web site information is dated, but will be revised later in 2006.
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Saturday, August 19
SWIRCA Craft Brewer's Festival in Evansville, Indiana
The event is at the Casino Aztar, and NABC's participation is tentative owing to the already busy August festival.
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Friday, October 13
Lupulin Land Harvest Hop Festival
We’ll be exceeding OSHA’s legal limits on IBU’s per square foot of floor space when Lupulin Land 2005 begins on Friday, October 7. It is our fifth harvest hop celebration, and a good occasion for Kentuckiana’s hopheads to unite over a pint or two of America’s most bitter beer.
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Friday, December 15
Saturnalia MMVI
NABC, Rich O’s Public House and Sportstime Pizza pay tribute to the ancient pagan origins of Christmas with Saturnalia, a draft beer festival showcasing seasonal specialties and festive ales.
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Friday, March 9, 2007
Gravity Head 2007
The ninth edition of our annual festival celebrating the brewing world’s biggest and best will kick off from its customary March starting time.
Credits:
Thanks to Jim Bell for his photographic prowess, which we share with you from time to time.
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, who also writes The Potable Curmudgeon and NA Confidential blogs.
THE END.
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