Thursday, March 29, 2007
I'm taking a week off.
Many readers already know that on Tuesday, I had surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff. I'm taking the week off, and will return with the newsletter on Thursday, April 5.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Publicanista ... March 22, 2007.
In this edition of Publicanista!:
SORRY - I'M A DAY LATE THIS WEEK.
I. PUBLICAN’S CHOICE: SCHLAFLY CALENDAR SHUFFLE.
II. GRAVITY MADNESS 2007: AN UPDATE.
III. NABC BREWERY UPDATE: BREWER'S BEST FRIEND SERIES UNDER WAY.
IV. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
V. DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.
VI. CALENDAR OF EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.
----
I. PUBLICAN’S CHOICE: SCHLAFLY CALENDAR SHUFFLE.
The Schlafly beer and brewing event in Prost, which originally was scheduled for Saturday, March 24, has been postponed until Friday, April 27.
The St. Louis brewery’s owner, Tom Schlafly, will be on hand the 27th of April to discuss his memoir, "A New Religion in Mecca", and sign copies of the book. The Gravity Head listed keg of oak-aged barley wine will be kept for the 27th, and other of the brewery’s beers will be on hand, too. Stay tuned for further details.
II. GRAVITY MADNESS 2007: AN UPDATE.
For the next three or four weeks, I'll be providing a Gravity Head "lineupdate" each Monday at the Potable Curmudgeon blog. Each day for the remainder of the following week, the Monday posting will be updated if possible to reflect the current tap status. Here is the most recent:
Gravity Head update: Monday, March 19 (updated through Friday morning, March 23).
Entering the third weekend of Gravity Head 2007, a quick scan of the listings reveals that we’re about 60% of the way through the choices.
That’s fast, especially when one considers that nowadays we receive more multiple kegs of small capacity sizes and more standard-sized kegs overall. It adds up to more gravity beers being consumed more quickly by greater numbers of enthusiasts, but now that the weather is warming, consumption of these big beers will begin to slow.
Perhaps it’s time for a reconsideration of the calendar.
Gravity Head originated on a lark in 1999, and only later became the law onto itself that so dominates the first quarter of each year. Although there have been exceptions borne of necessity, we’ve generally looked to early March as the best time to stage Gravity Head. It’s a crazy month by any consideration, with St. Patrick’s Day and the NCAA basketball tournament also drawing crowds, and the festive atmosphere generated by these events in concert with Gravity Head is much fun, and obviously good for business.
It used to be that we’d have perhaps 20 to 30 kegs of listed Gravity Head beers, but now upwards of 60 are ordered, and more if multiples are counted. This had had the effect of extending Gravity Head’s springtime shelf life, to an extent that in 2006, with an earlier starting date in February, it took until late April for all the beers to be consumed. Without initiating another global warming debate, it remains that warmer weather has been arriving earlier, and as noted above, warm weather has a slowing effect on gravity consumption.
That, and also the onset of gravity fatigue …
Combining all these factors, I’m considering moving Gravity Head 2008 – the 10th edition – forward two seeks into late February, as was the case in 2006 during Kate’s pregnancy. The move would put Gravity Head starting on Friday, February 29, 2008.
Your thoughts are solicited. Good or bad? Conflicts you’re aware might occur? Let me know using the usual avenues, and thanks for patronizing NABC.
Also, see:
Gravity Madness: March isn't just about basketball anymore.
Gravity Head 2007 #17: And you thought the 2000 Presidential election was close.
See the Gravity Head schedule here.
Download the complete Gravity Form 2007 here (.pdf)
III. NABC BREWERY UPDATE: BREWER'S BEST FRIEND SERIES UNDER WAY.
Jared Williamson offers this report from the NABC garage brewhouse:
I want to bring everyone up to speed on a new project called Brewer’s Best
Friend Series – basically, three beers made in honor of Jesse’s and my canine companions (yes, this idea came from John Maier of Rogue and his dog Brewer).
First up (brewed 2-16-07) is: Jasmine the Mastiff Sweet Stout.
Malt: 2-row, roasted barley, chocolate
Hops: East Kent Goldings and Fuggles (for bittering only)
Spices: Lactose sugar, spiced Mexican chocolate, honey
O.G.: 1073
ABV: Circa 7%
IBUs: 36
The mastiff is the gentle giant of English-bred dogs -- loyal, noble, big and lazy for the most part.
IV. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
Here are recently posted articles:
Actually, he wasn't the model.
"A return to Market Street Brewery."
The Curmudgeon will be coming out of retirement: Group beer hunting trips are planned for 2008.
Guinness on tap at Bistro New Albany.
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 much 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.
Community Dark ... Based on English Mild, and our light-bodied dark quaffer. 5% abv.
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?
Hoosier Daddy ... revised hopping, somewhere in the range of Imperial Red. Circa 7% abv.
Hoptimus ... Massive.
St. Radegund ... Successor to Beak's Best; all-English, ESB territory, circa 5.5% abv.
Guests from near and far (market pricing).
ON TAP NOW: Everyday staples.
Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)
ON TAP NOW: Rotating selections (limited engagement).
Gravity. See: Gravity Head update: Monday, March 19 (updated through Friday morning, March 23).
In the bullpen (ready for duty when called upon to serve).
More gravity. For quite some time to come, in fact.
VI. CALENDAR OF 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.
Smoking.
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.
Wi-Fi.
Both dining areas are hotspots. Please observe proper etiquette when using our Wi-Fi service, and do not disturb or offend others with the Anheuser-Busch web site or other examples of web-borne smut.
2007 events: 
Weekly on Thursday evening @ 7:00 p.m.
Drinking Liberally (New Albany & Southern Indiana) meets in the Red Room each Thursday. Contact organizer Lacy Davis for details.
----
March 9 - ???
Gravity Head 2007 rolls on
The ninth edition of our annual festival celebrating the brewing world’s biggest and best will kick off from its customary March starting time. This year's theme is Gravity Madness, celebrating the fact that at NABC, March isn't just about basketball any more.
----
Friday & Saturday, May 18 & 19
2nd Annual Ohio River Valley Folk Festival
Along the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. NABC poured beer in 2006, and will be doing so again along with friends from Upland and possibly Ram (Indianapolis).
----
Friday, June 1
(Your name here)Fest begins ... Steve Fest 2007.
It's SteveFest 2007. Read more: Steve Hall is the winner ... and Steve Hall's winning "SteveFest 2007" essay.
To prep for 2008, read the rules for entering: Here are the contest rules for (Your name here)Fest in May, 2007.
----
Saturday, June 2
2nd Annual Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
From Todd Antz at Keg Liquors: "It's back! We are just starting our early planning stages, but our successful Craft Beer Festival will be held on June 2nd this year. Already signed up for this year's festival are: New Albanian Brewing, Bluegrass Brewing Company, Upland Brewing Company, World Class Beverages, Cavalier Distributing, and many more to come. Stay tuned for more information on this event."
----
Saturday (TBA), June (TBA)
Lambic by the Glass
A one-day sampling of Belgian lambic, with the Publican as host.
----
Saturday, July 21 (changed from the 28th)
Indiana Microbrewers' Festival
Annual funfest in Indianapolis, and a required stop on the NABC summer brewery fest tour.
----
Saturday, August 11
Awe inspiring, annual one-day brewery fete in Madison, Wisconsin.
----
Saturday, August 25 (tentative)
With Hoptimus, you really can "talk to the animals."
----
Friday, August 31
Sandkerwa NA begins
Our first all-German draft festival, inspired by an annual street party in Bamberg, Germany.
----
Friday, October 19
Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming begins
Love and hoppiness, in all their myriad forms, as dispensed from all available taps.
----
Friday, December 14
Saturnalia MMVII begins
Our fourth celebration of the winter solstice, with seasonal and holiday drafts.
Credits:
Thanks to Jim Bell for his photographic prowess, which we share with you from time to time, and which features prominently at the NABC web site.
Readers who aren’t as familiar with our business should go to http://www.newalbanian.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.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Publicanista! ... March 15, 2007.
In this edition of Publicanista!:I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: IT'S STILL EARLY DURING GRAVITY MADNESS -- AND MARCH ISN'T JUST ABOUT BASKETBALL ANYMORE!
II. YOUR GRAVITY HEAD DOLLARS AT WORK.
III. ALL THIS AND ST. PADDY'S, TOO.
IV. NABC BREWERY UPDATE: BREWER'S BEST FRIEND SERIES UNDER WAY.
V. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
VI. DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.
VII. CALENDAR OF EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.
----
I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: IT'S STILL EARLY DURING GRAVITY MADNESS -- AND MARCH ISN'T JUST ABOUT BASKETBALL ANYMORE!
It was another fabulous Gravity Head opening weekend, and already a half-dozen starters are down. As always, solid second and even third waves of microbrewed and imported beers will come on tap as the ranks deplete. It’s the deepest Gravity Head ever, with 19 appearing for the first time ever at Rich O’s (just two shy of the 2006 Gravity Head record total).
For the next three or four weeks, I'll be providing a Gravity Head "lineupdate" each Monday at the Potable Curmudgeon blog. Each day for the remainder of the following week, the Monday posting will be updated if possible to reflect the current tap status. Here is the most recent:
Gravity Head update: Monday, March 12 (updated through Thursday morning).
Also, see:
Gravity Madness: March isn't just about basketball anymore.
Gravity Head 2007 #17: And you thought the 2000 Presidential election was close.
See the Gravity Head schedule here.
Download the complete Gravity Form 2007 here (.pdf)
II. YOUR GRAVITY HEAD DOLLARS AT WORK.
In the grand tradition of undercapitalized small businesses, we’ve taken last weekend’s Gravity Madness earnings and ploughed some of them back into infrastructure, meaning that Sportstime patrons now have two new flat-screen televisions for March Madness basketball viewing.
Click here to see what they look like.
III. ALL THIS AND ST. PADDY'S, TOO.
Saturday, March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, and at NABC, along with Gravity Head (weekend two) and NCAA basketball, it adds up to something we’re not entirely able to predict until it hits. But why quibble? My solution is to have genuinely good beer on hand.
Read the remainder of the commentary here.
The black, red and gold beers coming on tap Saturday, March 17:
Bell's Expedition Stout (cask hand-pull; firkin; 11.5%) ... The oft-repeated adage holds that while the Arabs invented distillation, it took the Irish to perfect it. Don't get it? Think: “From perfume, to whisky.” In much the same fashion, Imperial Stout improves in almost hallucinogenic fashion upon the “dry” Irish model. Drawing it from a cask in the traditional manner is just icing on the cake.
Upland Ard-Ri Imperial Irish-style Red Ale (9%) ... Up the road in Bloomington, Indiana, our compatriots at Upland have produced another version of their annual homage to … well, let’s permit Wikipedia to answer:
- High King of Ireland (Irish:Ard Rí na hÉireann) refers to legendary, pagan kings of Tara. It also refers tolater kings, who were, depending on the period, either the most powerful king oftheir day, or, in later times, exercised authority over most of Ireland.
Rogue Kell’s Irish Lager (circa 5%) ... In essence, a Harp Lager clone, but fuller-bodied, engagingly smooth and crisp, and coming from one of my favorite breweries in the world.
For the best view of St. Patrick's Day from behind the bar, read: ERIN GO BLAH.
IV. NABC BREWERY UPDATE: BREWER'S BEST FRIEND SERIES UNDER WAY.
Jared Williamson offers this report from the NABC garage brewhouse:
I want to bring everyone up to speed on a new project called Brewer’s Best
Friend Series – basically, three beers made in honor of Jesse’s and my canine companions (yes, this idea came from John Maier of Rogue and his dog Brewer).
First up (brewed 2-16-07) is: Jasmine the Mastiff Sweet Stout.
Malt: 2-row, roasted barley, chocolate
Hops: East Kent Goldings and Fuggles (for bittering only)
Spices: Lactose sugar, spiced Mexican chocolate, honey
O.G.: 1073
ABV: Circa 7%
IBUs: 36
The mastiff is the gentle giant of English-bred dogs -- loyal, noble, big and lazy for the most part.
V. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
Here are recently posted articles:
Your Gravity Head dollars at work.
Real beer for St. Patrick’s Day at NABC.
Gravity Head update: Monday, March 12.
"Marcey Wisman for City Clerk" beer tasting fundraiser.
Another amazing Gravity Head opening night.
Gravity Madness: March isn't just about basketball anymore.
Gravity Head 2007 #17: And you thought the 2000 Presidential election was close.
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 much 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.
Community Dark ... Based on English Mild, and our light-bodied dark quaffer. 5% abv.
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?
Hoosier Daddy ... revised hopping, somewhere in the range of Imperial Red. Circa 7% abv.
Hoptimus ... Massive.
St. Radegund ... Successor to Beak's Best; all-English, ESB territory, circa 5.5% abv.
Guests from near and far (market pricing).
ON TAP NOW: Everyday staples.
Bell’s Two Hearted Ale (temporarily gone owing to wholesaler outage)
Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)
ON TAP NOW: Rotating selections (limited engagement).
Gravity. See above.
In the bullpen (ready for duty when called upon to serve).
More gravity. For quite some time to come, in fact.
VII. CALENDAR OF 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.
Smoking.
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.
Wi-Fi.
Both dining areas are hotspots. Please observe proper etiquette when using our Wi-Fi service, and do not disturb or offend others with the Anheuser-Busch web site or other examples of web-borne smut.
2007 events:
Weekly on Thursday evening @ 7:00 p.m.
Drinking Liberally (New Albany & Southern Indiana) meets in the Red Room each Thursday. Contact organizer Lacy Davis for details.
----
March 9 - ???
Gravity Head 2007 rolls on
The ninth edition of our annual festival celebrating the brewing world’s biggest and best will kick off from its customary March starting time. This year's theme is Gravity Madness, celebrating the fact that at NABC, March isn't just about basketball any more.
----
Friday & Saturday, May 18 & 19
2nd Annual Ohio River Valley Folk Festival
Along the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. NABC poured beer in 2006, and will be doing so again along with friends from Upland and possibly Ram (Indianapolis).
----
Friday, June 1
(Your name here)Fest begins ... Steve Fest 2007.
It's SteveFest 2007. Read more: Steve Hall is the winner ... and Steve Hall's winning "SteveFest 2007" essay.
To prep for 2008, read the rules for entering: Here are the contest rules for (Your name here)Fest in May, 2007.
----
Saturday, June 2
2nd Annual Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
From Todd Antz at Keg Liquors: "It's back! We are just starting our early planning stages, but our successful Craft Beer Festival will be held on June 2nd this year. Already signed up for this year's festival are: New Albanian Brewing, Bluegrass Brewing Company, Upland Brewing Company, World Class Beverages, Cavalier Distributing, and many more to come. Stay tuned for more information on this event."
----
Saturday (TBA), June (TBA)
Lambic by the Glass
A one-day sampling of Belgian lambic, with the Publican as host.
----
Saturday, July 21 (changed from the 28th)
Indiana Microbrewers' Festival
Annual funfest in Indianapolis, and a required stop on the NABC summer brewery fest tour.
----
Saturday, August 11
Awe inspiring, annual one-day brewery fete in Madison, Wisconsin.
----
Saturday, August 25 (tentative)
With Hoptimus, you really can "talk to the animals."
----
Friday, August 31
Sandkerwa NA begins
Our first all-German draft festival, inspired by an annual street party in Bamberg, Germany.
----
Friday, October 19
Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming begins
Love and hoppiness, in all their myriad forms, as dispensed from all available taps.
----
Friday, December 14
Saturnalia MMVII begins
Our fourth celebration of the winter solstice, with seasonal and holiday drafts.
Credits:
Thanks to Jim Bell for his photographic prowess, which we share with you from time to time, and which features prominently at the NABC web site.
Readers who aren’t as familiar with our business should go to http://www.newalbanian.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.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Publicanista! ... March 8, 2007.
In this edition of Publicanista!:I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: GRAVITY MADNESS -- MARCH ISN'T JUST ABOUT BASKETBALL ANYMORE!
II. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
III. DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.
IV. CALENDAR OF EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.
----
I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: GRAVITY MADNESS -- MARCH ISN'T JUST ABOUT BASKETBALL ANYMORE!
Hard to believe, but it's baaaccck ...
Gravity Head is our annual celebration of the brewing world’s biggest and best. Beginning on March 9 (TOMORROW) and lasting until all the kegs are gone, we’ll be devoting half our 34 taps to showcasing these rare and sought-after beers.
Because not all listed Gravity Head beers can be served at the same time, and the selection is in constant flux, see the blackboards for the daily selection. Note that the usual choices of NABC ales and guest drafts will be available during the festival (see below for starters).
The 2007 Gravity Head starting lineup will feature 16 kegs of high gravity beers (and 1 firkin) selected to exhibit maximum diversity of flavors and stylistic inspiration.
The winner of the 2007 fan Internet vote, and occupying the 17th slot, is ...
Ettaler Curator Doppelbock (9% abv)
Read about it here: Gravity Head 2007 #17: And you thought the 2000 Presidential election was close.
At various times during the first two weeks of Gravity Head, there will be cask-conditioned gravity beers available from the hand-pull and/or the bar top. See the schedule here.
As always, solid second and even third waves of microbrewed and imported beers will come on tap as the ranks deplete. It’s the deepest Gravity Head ever, with 59 gravity beers in all waiting to be tapped, of which 19 will be appearing for the first time ever at Rich O’s (just two shy of the 2006 Gravity Head record total).
See the current breakdown for the entire Gravity Head beer list here.
Download the complete Gravity Form 2007 here (.pdf)
For those readers who are contemplating Gravity Head attendance for the first time, please be aware that we’re very serious when we command you to plan your life, arrange transportation from the venue at the conclusion of your gravity session, and/or have a designated driver. Typically, a cab ride to Louisville costs $30, which isn’t very much when split two or three ways … and it’s far less than the cost of the consequences.
SEE OUR BLOGS FOR GRAVITY HEAD UPDATES:
PUBLICANISTA! NEWSLETTER - http://richosnewsletter.blogspot.com/
———————
POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BLOG -http://potablecurmudgeon.blogspot.com
Gravity Head beers are available in 8 or 10 oz. pours, depending on the individual beer and the type of glassware used. Prices are indicated on the blackboards.
Here are the remaining starters for 2007:
USA
Avery "The Beast" 2006 14.9%
Bluegrass Brewing Co. (Main & Clay) Dank IPA (hand pull) 8%
Bluegrass Brewing Co. (St. Matthews) Leah's Etrange 9.2%
Bell's Hopslam Double IPA 9.5%
Founders Devil Dancer Triple IPA 2006 13%
NABC Thunderfoot Imperial Stout 2006 11%
Rogue XS Old Crustacean Barley Wine 2002 11.3%
Stone Imperial Russian Stout 10.8%
WORLD
Aventinus Eisbock (Germany) 12.5%
De Dolle Special Extra Export Stout (Belgium) 9%
Kasteelbier (Biere de Chateau) Tripel (Belgium) 11%
Koningshoeven Quadrupel (Netherlands) 10%
Regenboog t’Smisje BBBourgondier (Belgium) 12%
Samichlaus Bier 2005 (Austria) 14%
Urthel Hop-It Belgian IPA (Belgium) 9.5%
II. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.
Here are recently posted articles:
Extreme Belgian is in the books.
Gravity Head "fan selection" voting proceeds.
Vote now for the 17th and final Gravity Head starter.
Gravity Head 2007 Schedule: 30 Days of Gravity Madness.
Extreme Belgian: Swapping Rocheforts.
Cafe exteriors, Poperinge, February 2007.
The European jaunt is shaping up.
Steve Hall's winning "SteveFest 2007" essay.
Steve Hall is the winner ... and SteveFest 2007 begins June 1.
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.
III. 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 much 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.
Community Dark ... Based on English Mild, and our light-bodied dark quaffer. 5% abv.
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?
Hoosier Daddy ... revised hopping, somewhere in the range of Imperial Red. Circa 7% abv.
Hoptimus ... Massive.
St. Radegund ... Successor to Beak's Best; all-English, ESB territory, circa 5.5% abv.
Guests from near and far (market pricing).
ON TAP NOW: Everyday staples.
Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)
ON TAP NOW: Rotating selections (limited engagement).
Gravity.
In the bullpen (ready for duty when called upon to serve).
More gravity.
IV. CALENDAR OF 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.
Smoking.
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.
Wi-Fi.
Both dining areas are hotspots. Please observe proper etiquette when using our Wi-Fi service, and do not disturb or offend others with the Anheuser-Busch web site or other examples of web-borne smut.
2007 events:
Weekly on Thursday evening @ 7:00 p.m.
Drinking Liberally (New Albany & Southern Indiana) meets in the Red Room each Thursday. Contact organizer Lacy Davis for details.
----
Friday, March 9
Gravity Head 2007 begins
The ninth edition of our annual festival celebrating the brewing world’s biggest and best will kick off from its customary March starting time. This year's theme is Gravity Madness, celebrating the fact that at NABC, March isn't just about basketball any more.
----
Friday & Saturday, May 18 & 19
2nd Annual Ohio River Valley Folk Festival
Along the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. NABC poured beer in 2006, and will be doing so again along with friends from Upland and possibly Ram (Indianapolis).
----
Friday, June 1
(Your name here)Fest begins
It's SteveFest 2007. Read more: Steve Hall is the winner ... and Steve Hall's winning "SteveFest 2007" essay.
To prep for 2008, read the rules for entering: Here are the contest rules for (Your name here)Fest in May, 2007.
----
Saturday, June 2
2nd Annual Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
From Todd Antz at Keg Liquors: "It's back! We are just starting our early planning stages, but our successful Craft Beer Festival will be held on June 2nd this year. Already signed up for this year's festival are: New Albanian Brewing, Bluegrass Brewing Company, Upland Brewing Company, World Class Beverages, Cavalier Distributing, and many more to come. Stay tuned for more information on this event."
----
Saturday (TBA), June (TBA)
Lambic by the Glass
A one-day sampling of Belgian lambic, with the Publican as host.
----
Saturday, July 21 (changed from the 28th)
Indiana Microbrewers' Festival
Annual funfest in Indianapolis, and a required stop on the NABC summer brewery fest tour.
----
Saturday, August 11
Awe inspiring, annual one-day brewery fete in Madison, Wisconsin.
----
Saturday, August 25 (tentative)
With Hoptimus, you really can "talk to the animals."
----
Friday, August 31
Sandkerwa NA begins
Our first all-German draft festival, inspired by an annual street party in Bamberg, Germany.
----
Friday, October 19
Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming begins
Love and hoppiness, in all their myriad forms, as dispensed from all available taps.
----
Friday, December 14
Saturnalia MMVII begins
Our fourth celebration of the winter solstice, with seasonal and holiday drafts.
Credits:
Thanks to Jim Bell for his photographic prowess, which we share with you from time to time, and which features prominently at the NABC web site.
Readers who aren’t as familiar with our business should go to http://www.newalbanian.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.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Publicanista! ... March 1, 2007.
I'm back from Belgium and the Netherlands -- and welcome back to Publicanista!, my chosen method of relaying important beer tidings to you, my fellow enthusiasts.
This week, I have only two things to emphasize, as they are occupying all my waking moments at present.
I. The Extreme Belgian Beer Dinner will be held on Monday, March 5 at Bistro New Albany (6:00 p.m. start).
NOTE: TABLES ARE AVAILABLE!
Bistro New Albany and the New Albanian Brewing Company are proud to present “EXTREME BELGIAN,” a six course meal and eight ales that celebrate Belgium's finest cuisine and brewing traditions.
Cheese Course
DeuS Brut des Flandres … Sparkling “Champagne Method” Ale (Buggenhout, Belgium)
Brusselae Kasse Frommage de Bruxelles/Beauvoorde/Herve/Limburger
Starters
Panil Barriquee … Flanders-style Oak-Aged Red/Oud Bruin (Torrechiara, Italy)
Mossels Gekookt en Hun Eigen Nat
(Mussels cooked in natural juices)
Soup Course
Urthel Hop-It … Belgian-style American India Pale Ale (Berkel-Enschot, Netherlands)
Karnemilk Soep Met Appelkes
(Buttermilk Soup with Apples)
Salad Course
Ommegang Hennepin … Belgian-style Saison (Cooperstown, New York)
St. Jabob Schelpen Opeen Bedje Van Witloof
(Bay Scallops with Belgian Endive)
Entrée Course
Drie Fonteinen Schaerbeekse Kriek … Belgian Lambic (with cherries) (Beersel, Belgium)
Konyne Rug met Kriek Bier en GedRoogde
(Slow roasted Rabbit with Cherry Beer)
Sides
Savooikool op Z’n Vlaams
(Flemish style Savoy Cabbage)
Nieuwe Aardappelen met Peterselle
(Parslied New Potatoes)
Dessert Course
Allagash Musette … Belgian-style Scotch Ale (Portland, Maine)
Tart Flamiche met Chocolat
(Sugar Tart with Chocolate)
Closers
Avery “The Reverend” … Belgian-style Quadrupel (Boulder, Colorado)
Trappistes Rochefort 10 … Trappist Ale, brewed by the Abbaye Notre-Dame de St. Remy(Rochefort, Belgium)
What you need to know:
The meal begins at 6: 00 p.m. on Monday, March 5. The Bistro New Albany is located at 148 East Market Street in downtown New Albany. Please place and confirm your reservations with Bistro New Albany at (812) 949-5227.
The price is $65 per person (18% gratuity), and includes 2-oz or 3-oz samples of the featured beers. The Publican (Roger A. Baylor) will introduce the beers, while Chef Dave Clancy holds forth in the kitchen. Many of the beers also will be priced for consumption during the meal, including Urthel Hop-It, which will be the only draft of those being featured. Each diner will receive a complimentary Belgian beer glass as a keepsake.
Special thanks to World Class Beverages, Cavalier Distributing and The Keg Liquors for kind assistance and consideration.
II. Gravity Head begins on Friday, March 9.
Here is the link to the best and most current information available, of which I suspect roughly 95% to be accurate: January progress toward preliminary keg orders for Gravity Head 2007. If you’ve attended previous, you know what to do and when to do it. FOSSILS and LAGERS club members enjoy preferred seating at Prost on Friday, and the Ohio contingent will be visiting again on Saturday.
It is my aim to determine the starting lineup by Monday, March 5. Stay tuned, and visit www.newalbanian.com for everyday information.
Roger
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
