UPDATED THURSDAY EVENING (AUGUST 24).
In this edition of Publicanista!:
I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: AUF WIEDERSEHEN ... FOR A SHORT WHILE.
II. NABC BREWERY NEWS: BREW AT THE ZOO IS AUGUST 26.
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. BOTTLED BEER NEWS: LIST UPDATE COMING THIS WEEK.
VI. EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.
I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: AUF WIEDERSEHEN ... FOR A SHORT WHILE.
It’s time again to pack my bags for a pilgrimage to the Old Country.
Except that this time, as on three previous occasions, it’s panniers I’m packing, along with a bicycle. Somehow the beauty of European beercycling managed to elude me for more than two decades – through years of pleasure and pain, cloudiness and periodic lucidity – but now that it’s all mercifully clear, I’ll seldom opt for any other mode of travel.
Beyond their vague origins in Germany and Central Europe, little is known about the lives of my ancestors, and to be truthful, I’ve not devoted time to researching the specifics. For me, it’s always been enough to know that most of them came from Germany in that country’s far-flung, geographic sense.
We’re built from peasant stock, going back too many generations. Like so many others, coming to America was a prescient choice that made ample sense at the time, and perhaps it still does. At one time I’d have loved to be an expatriate and return to the scene, but while pondering the whys and wherefores of the situation, strange things happened.
I evolved into some skewed semblance of adulthood, passed through many of the stages therein, and lost sight of the bumpkin abroad. There’s general acceptance now. I live where I live, and I am who I am. So be it. It’s a good life, in the end. Somehow I’m seldom taken seriously when venturing into sincerity, but heartfelt thanks go out to anyone and everyone who are a part of this work in progress.
Today's newsletter is final missive prior to three-weeks of beercycling with the lads, beginning in Bamberg, Germany, home of the world's greatest Rauchbier, then continuing through the Pilsner brewing heartland of the Czech Republic to Vienna – where lager brewing was refined 150 years ago by Anton Dreher.
Consequently, the Publican’s Choice today is precisely that: Lager. Not the swill peddled by multi-nationals, but the essence of Central Europe as displayed by Pilsners, Oktoberfests, Bocks and steins of frothing beerhall helles.
Yes, I’m a hophead, and an aficionado of strong ale … and yet lager has its place, even with me. Appreciate it when done correctly, and know that the forthcoming dalliance into the category created by my ancestors, and accompanied by pork served in more ways than you could ever imagine, will not cause me to forget IPA and Imperial Stout.
In other words, I’ll be back. See you then.
See also: How we operate: Beercycling in Central Europe, 2006.
II. NABC BREWERY NEWS: BREW AT THE ZOO IS AUGUST 26.
Both Hoptimus and Elector are back on tap, with Community Dark to follow on Monday (August 28). The next new NABC beer will be a California Common, which is being lagered and dry-hopped; the release date is uncertain, but I'll guess the second week of September at the earliest.
Jesse and Jared will use the California Common yeast to brew Kaiser 2nd Reising (pre-Prohibition Pilsner) as well as a new Schwarzen Rauchbier.
Next up on the summer festival calendar is Brew at the Zoo, at the Louisville Zoo on Saturday, August 26, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Oasis Festival Tent and Field.
Here is the preview, as provided by the Zoo. Note that NABC is not selling tickets this year!
Delicious food tastings from area restaurants, live music by Blues Incorporated and Thumper and the Plaid Rabbits, an amazing array of local and regional microbrews, silent auction of animal art from the Zoo’s own resident artists, zany ZooOlympic games and more!
Special ticket required.
Proceeds of this fundraiser benefit the Louisville Zoo. For ticket prices, a list of participating restaurants and breweries and to purchase Tickets Online, click here!
Tickets include admission to the Zoo, live music and ZooOlympics entertainment, official Brew at the Zoo tasting glass and program, brew and food samplings from local breweries and restaurants.
Tickets also available for sale at Louisville Zoo Box Office during regular hours or at BBC Beer Company, 636 E. Main Street, Louisville (through August 25).
Enjoy the finest brews from Bell’s Brewery, BBC Beer Company, Bluegrass Brewing Company, Broad Ripple Brewery, Browning’s Brewery, Cumberland Brews, Hofbrauhaus Newport, Lexington Brewing Company, The New Albanian Brewing Company, and Upland Brewing Company.
Tastings by BBC on 4th Street, Beef O’Brady’s, Bill’s Famous Cheese Spread, Bluegrass Brewing Company, Browning’s Brewery, Buckhead Mountain Grill, California Pizza Kitchen, Chardeau’s Classic Catering, Coca-Cola, Coolbaker’s, Come Back Inn, Great Harvest Bread Company, Hard Rock Café, Irish Rover, Java Brewing Company, Jockamo’s Pizza Pub, Maker’s Mark Bourbon House & Lounge, Monkey Wrench, O’Connell’s Irish Pub, The Oakroom at the Seelbach, Snappy Tomato Pizza, Sodexho, Texas Roadhouse, Whole Foods Market, Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, Yang Kee Noodle and Za’s Pizza Pub.
Additional support by River City Decorative Concrete.
For a listing of where our beers can be found, see NABC outside accounts in Southern Indiana.
III. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
Here are recently posted articles:
On hating megabreweries and the trade rags that glorify them.
The "Incider" No. 2 ... Rocky Meadow orchard news.
Cumberland Brews celebrates six years on Monday, August 21.
Rich O's medals in Rate Beer's "Best Beer Bars in the United States."
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.
(Note: Community Dark will be back on tap circa Monday, August 28)
Artemsia Ale ... Brown ale brewed with 80% Simpson's Golden Promise two-row and molasses, and flavored with mugwort (the "dream herb," related to sagebrush and a cousin of wormwood), sweet orange peel and chamomile. 4.5% abv.
Bob's Old 15-B ... We're calling it a robust, brown Porter precisely because style definitions were meant to be bent.
Croupier IPA ... Jesse's homage to our casino employee clientele is modeled on the English interpretation, with a few American flourishes.
Elector ... Making Democracy pointless since 2002; English malt, American hops. 7.2% abv. Double Red?
Hoptimus ... Brewed with Simpson's Golden Promise malt; Northern Brewer, Fuggles and Cascades hops; and the house London yeast. Dry hopping with Fuggles and Cascades. 9% abv.
Strathpeffer Heather ... 90% Simpson's Golden Promise two-row and heather flower honey, with heather (i.e., a shrubbery) added throughout the brewing and maturation processes. Gold in color. Named for the town in Scotland where a Pictish eagle is famously carved into a large stone. Circa 8% abv.
Guests from near and far.
Market pricing.
(Note: Arrogant Bastard currently is out of stock at the wholesaler; we expect more on or around August 30).
Staples:
Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)
Rotating (limited engagement)
New Holland Black Tulip ("Trippel Ale")
Rogue JLS Release #15 Alt Bier
Rogue JLS Release #16 Imperial Porter (one now, one later)
Rogue (dry-hopped) St. Rogue Red
Weihenstephaner Weissbier Dunkel
Bullpen:
Rogue JLS Release #17 Brewer 2006
V. BOTTLED BEER NEWS: LIST UPDATE COMING THIS WEEK.
The regular bottled beer list, has been updated and is being republished on Friday, August 25. It isn't yet available on-line (don't ask if you're not prepared for a rant of sorts), but some sweet day, it will.
Don't forget 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.
VI. 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.
2006/2007 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, August 26
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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 2006 begins on Friday, October 13. 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.
UPDATED: Previews: Lupulin Land & Saturnalia (2006) and Gravity Head (2007).
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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.
UPDATED: Previews: Lupulin Land & Saturnalia (2006) and Gravity Head (2007).
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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.
UPDATED: Previews: Lupulin Land & Saturnalia (2006) and Gravity Head (2007).
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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