Publicanista! February 7, 2008.

In this edition of Publicanista!:

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: GRAVITY HEAD PROCUREMENT IS FINISHED.

II. CASK-CONDITIONED REPORT: NABC FIRKINS APLENTY.

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. NEW ROTATING BOTTLED BEER LIST POSTED.

VI. CALENDAR OF EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.

----

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: GRAVITY HEAD PROCUREMENT IS FINISHED.

Okay, that's it. Procurement for the tenth anniversary, Leap Year Gravity Head that begins on Friday, February 29 is finished for all intents and purposes. There's something old, something new ... you know the drill. As befits the occasion, there'll be a record number of total and never-before-tapped beers. Work proceeds on t-shirts and programs. The updated list is here: Gravity Head 2008 update.

Get ready.

II. CASK-CONDITIONED REPORT: NABC FIRKINS APLENTY.

Now pouring: Phoenix Kentucky Komon (11-10-07)

After Phoenix is gone, the following cask-conditioned NABC firkins will be poured with the hand pump in the order listed. The date at left indicates when the beer was brewed.

04-05-07 Malcolm's Old Setters Ale

11-20-07 Bonfire of the Valkyries (oaked)

11-10-07 Phoenix Kentucky Komon

12-19-07 Old Lightning Rod (Poor Richard’s Ale) (oaked)

Note also that a cask-conditioned firkin of WinterCoat Vildmose (Denmark) is being shipped to us to replace the standard keg that proved to be unavailable for Saturnalia. It may be inserted into the preceding rotation as circumstances dictate.

Also note that a gravity-pour pin might be popped atop the cask cabinet whenever Jared feels like it.

For more information, go here: NABC cask-conditioned firkins aplenty in coming weeks.

III. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.

Calendar check: Monday, February 25 Schlafly meet ‘n’ greet with stouts and munchies.

Beer dinner at Stratto’s Italian Bistro this Thursday.

Gravity Head 2008 graphics.

Prost 2008: Surges, conundrums, and another place to be seated.

Operation Progressive Pint: Current progress.

IV. DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.

Our NABC beers.

NABC began brewing in 2002, and we’re proud to be New Albany’s first active brewery since 1935. From very deep within the confines of NABC’s garage brewery, Jesse Williams and Jared Williamson conjure 8-barrel batches of regulars, old favorites and new formulations.

Always check the blackboards to see what’s on tap. For more information about NABC beers, go here.

Bob's Old 15-B ... We're calling it a robust, brown Porter precisely because style definitions were meant to be bent.

Bonfire of the Valkyries ... Smoked black lager; Saturnalia listed.

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?

Flat Tyre ... Lovibond got you down? That's okay -- just improvise. It was intended to be brown, and now it's amber.

Hoosier Daddy ... revised hopping, somewhere in the range of Imperial Red. Circa 7% abv.

Kaiser 2nd Reising ... The most renowned brewery in 19th-century New Albany was owned by Paul Reising, a German immigrant who set up shop at the corner of Spring and West Second. Like other continentally trained brewers in America, Reising found it necessary to adapt Old World recipes to New World ingredients. Expensive imported German hops were reserved for aroma and flavor, while less delicate homegrown varieties provided the bittering. American six-row barley replaced European two-row, and some corn was thrown in for good measure. The result was your great-grandfather’s pilsner.

Mt. Lee ... California Common ("Steam"), named for the Hollywood mountainside with the famous sign. First brewed in 2006.

Phoenix Kentucky Komon ... Retro style indigenous to Louisville; dark, smooth with a touch or roast, and sour.

Old Lightning Rod ... Colonial-style old ale like Ben Franklin might have enjoyed.

Guests from near and far (market pricing).

ON TAP NOW: Everyday staples.

Note that Alpha King will now often be rotating with Bell’s Two Hearted Ale. Why? Go here.

Arrogant Bastard

Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

Guinness Stout

Lindemans Framboise

Pilsner Urquell

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Smithwick’s Irish Ale

Spaten Premium Lager

Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)

Upland Wheat

ON TAP NOW: Rotating selections (limited engagement).

Alpha King

Bell's Cherry Stout

Brugge Black

Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Noire

La Rulles Summer Ale

Piraat

PranQster

Rogue Brutal Bitter

Saison Dupont

Schlafly Christmas Ale

Schlafly Coffee Stout

Sierra Nevada IPA

Upland Oktoberfest

In the bullpen (ready for duty when called upon to serve).

Bell's Consecrator Doppelbock

Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout

De Glazen Toren Saison d' Erpe Mere

Delirium Tremens

Einbecker Heller Bock

Monks Cafe Flemish Sour Ale

V. NEW ROTATING BOTTLED BEER LIST POSTED.

Read and print the everyday list here: NABC's bottled beer menu .pdf

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.

2008 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, February 29, 2008

Leap Year Gravity Head Number Ten

'Nuff said for now. The tenth anniversary of Gravity Head is slated to begin on the 29th of February, so make designated driver and bunking arrangements now.

Gravity Head 2008 update.

----

Credits:

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.

Publicanista! January 17, 2008.

In this edition of Publicanista!:

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: OPERATION PROGRESSIVE PINT IS CLANKING FORWARD.

II. CASK-CONDITIONED REPORT: NABC FIRKINS APLENTY.

III. NABC BREWERY NEWS: OLD LIGHTNING ROD IS BACK ON TAP.

IV. NABC'S (YOUR NAME HERE)FEST 2008 ESSAY CONTEST IS UNDERWAY.

V. ITINERARY FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST BREWTOUR '08 RELEASED.

VI. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.

VII: DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.

VIII. NEW BOTTLED "SPECIALS" LIST.

IX. CALENDAR OF EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.

----

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: OPERATION PROGRESSIVE PINT IS CLANKING FORWARD.

It’s hardly a secret that we’ve been exploring options to expand the brewing side of the business. The existing pub, pizzeria and brewery have been going full tilt, and we’re running out of tricks to squeeze more people (and autos) into the available space.

Consequently, future growth will have to occur elsewhere, and I’m an advocate of a revitalizing downtown in New Albany.

Read the rest here: Operation Progressive Pint: Current progress.

II. CASK-CONDITIONED REPORT: NABC FIRKINS APLENTY.

Now pouring: NABC Jasmine the Mastiff (03-08-07)

After Jasmine is gone, the following cask-conditioned NABC firkins will be poured with the hand pump in the order listed. The date at left indicates when the beer was brewed.

04-05-07 Malcolm's Old Setters Ale
11-10-07 Phoenix Kentucky Komon
12-19-07 Old Lightning Rod (Poor Richard’s Ale) (oaked)
11-20-07 Bonfire of the Valkyries (oaked)
11-10-07 Phoenix Kentucky Komon
12-19-07 Old Lightning Rod (Poor Richard’s Ale) (oaked)

Note also that a cask-conditioned firkin of WinterCoat Vildmose (Denmark) is being shipped to us to replace the standard keg that proved to be unavailable for Saturnalia. It may be inserted into the preceding rotation as circumstances dictate.

For more information, go here: NABC cask-conditioned firkins aplenty in coming weeks.

III. NABC BREWERY NEWS: OLD LIGHTNING ROD IS BACK ON TAP.

NABC unveiled its first version of Poor Richard's "Old Lightning Rod" Ale on January 17, 2006. It was Benjamin Franklin's 300th birthday, and more than 100 breweries nationwide joined the celebration by brewing a colonial-era Old Ale recipe based on an award-winning formulation.

Our third annual glimpse into the flavor profile of the 18th-century may be the best one yet crafted by Jesse and Jared. Owing primarily to the ample opportunities to educate, this has become one of my favorite seasonal unveilings. For the story of how all this came about, go here:

NABC's third annual batch of Old Lightning Rod is on tap now.

IV. NABC'S (YOUR NAME HERE)FEST 2008 ESSAY CONTEST IS UNDERWAY.

The third installment of (Your name here)Fest, to be held at NABC, Rich O's and Sportstime, will come in late May, 2008.

The first was DaveFest, named for Dave Siltz, which took place in 2006. In 2007, it was SteveFest, in honor of Steve Hall.

The (Your name here)Fest is a consumer’s choice draft beer fest, with the Publican (that’s me) attempting within reason and various distribution constraints to assemble an annual contest winner’s ideal draft lineup.

As in 2007, there’ll be a month-long essay contest to select the 2008 (Your name here)Fest winner. Naturally, contestants must be 21 years of age. The contest begins immediately, and will conclude on February 1, 2008.

Read the rest here: Here are the contest rules for (Your name here)Fest in May, 2008.

V. ITINERARY FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST BREWTOUR '08 RELEASED.

The probably daily regimen can be perused here: Pacific Northwest Brew Tour, May 6 – 14, 2008. Next we'll be pricing the journey. If you're interested and haven't yet contacted me, please do so and you'll be placed on the mailing list.

VI. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.

Behold: The plastic one-way keg.

Yes, I get feisty on occasion.

BBC - Shelbyville Road location to reopen Monday following renovations.

VII. DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.

Our NABC beers.

NABC began brewing in 2002, and we’re proud to be New Albany’s first active brewery since 1935. From very deep within the confines of NABC’s garage brewery, Jesse Williams and Jared Williamson conjure 8-barrel batches of regulars, old favorites and new formulations.

Always check the blackboards to see what’s on tap. For more information about NABC beers, go here.

Bob's Old 15-B ... We're calling it a robust, brown Porter precisely because style definitions were meant to be bent.

Bonfire of the Valkyries ... Smoked black lager; Saturnalia listed.

Community Dark ... Based on English Mild, and our light-bodied dark quaffer. 5% abv.

Croupier ... IPA dedicated to the workers at the Caesars Indiana riverboat casino in nearby Harrison County.

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.

Kaiser 2nd Reising ... The most renowned brewery in 19th-century New Albany was owned by Paul Reising, a German immigrant who set up shop at the corner of Spring and West Second. Like other continentally trained brewers in America, Reising found it necessary to adapt Old World recipes to New World ingredients. Expensive imported German hops were reserved for aroma and flavor, while less delicate homegrown varieties provided the bittering. American six-row barley replaced European two-row, and some corn was thrown in for good measure. The result was your great-grandfather’s pilsner.

Phoenix Kentucky Komon ... Retro style indigenous to Louisville; dark, smooth with a touch or roast, and sour.

Old Lightning Rod ... Colonial-style old ale like Ben Franklin might have enjoyed.

Guests from near and far (market pricing).

ON TAP NOW: Everyday staples.

Note that Alpha King will now often be rotating with Bell’s Two Hearted Ale . Why? Go here.

Alpha King

Arrogant Bastard

Guinness Stout

Lindemans Framboise

Pilsner Urquell

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Smithwick’s Irish Ale

Spaten Premium Lager

Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)

Upland Wheat

ON TAP NOW: Rotating selections (limited engagement).

Browning's Brewery Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout

Browning's Oktoberfest

Great Divide Hibernation Ale (Saturnalia)

Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout (Saturnalia)

Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale

Oaken Barrel Epiphany (Saturnalia)

Poperings Hommel

Pyramid Snow Cap (Saturnalia)

Rogue "St. Rogue" Dry Hopped Red

Saison Dupont

Schlafly Christmas Ale (Saturnalia)

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale (Saturnalia)

Upland Pilsner

Upland Winter Warmer (Saturnalia)

In the bullpen (ready for duty when called upon to serve).

Brugge Black

De Glazen Toren Saison d' Erpe Mere

Dogfish Head Chicory Stout

Einbecker Heller Bock

Rodenbach Classic

Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine

Two Brothers Hop Juice

VIII. NEW BOTTLED BEER LIST HAS BEEN RELEASED.

Read and print the everyday list here: NABC's bottled beer menu .pdf

IX. 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.

2008 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.

----

Thursday & Friday, January 25 & 26

"The Worst Art Show Ever" at NABC, January 25 & 26.

----

Friday, February 29, 2008

Leap Year Gravity Head Number Ten

'Nuff said for now. The tenth anniversary of Gravity Head is slated to begin on the 29th of February, so make designated driver and bunking arrangements now.

Gravity Head 2008 update.

----

Credits:

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.

Publicanista! January 10, 2008.

In this edition of Publicanista!:

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: NABC CASK-CONDITIONED FIRKINS APLENTY IN THE WEEKS TO COME.

II. WORST ART SHOW EVER? COME AND FIND OUT.

III. SATURNALIA STATUS AND ERRATA.

IV. NABC'S (YOUR NAME HERE)FEST 2008 ESSAY CONTEST IS UNDERWAY.

V. ITINERARY FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST BREWTOUR '08 RELEASED.

VI. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.

VII: DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.

VIII. NEW BOTTLED BEER LIST HAS BEEN RELEASED.

IX. CALENDAR OF EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.

----

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: NABC CASK-CONDITIONED FIRKINS APLENTY IN THE WEEKS TO COME.

It’s January 10th, and this year’s Leap Year/Tenth Anniversary Gravity Head starts on February 29 (that’s only 50 days, folks).

For the most recent listing, go here: Gravity Head 2008 update.

In terms of the regular draft selection, we’ll be using this time to deplete the remaining Saturnalia kegs and a handful of partials left over from the end of 2007. But the real fun will be coming from the cask ale cabinet.

Read the list here: NABC cask-conditioned firkins aplenty in coming weeks.

II. WORST ART SHOW EVER? COME AND FIND OUT.

Kevin Dennis has announced Thursday & Friday, January 25 & 26, to be the dates for the next NABC art show: "The Worst Art Show Ever" at NABC, January 25 & 26.

III. SATURNALIA STATUS AND ERRATA.

Saturnalia is roughly two-thirds finished. Of the beers in stock, only Oaken Barrel Epiphany has yet to be tapped. De Glazen Toren Canaster Winter Scotch, De Glazen Toren Cuvee Angelique,
WinterCoat Vildmose (cask-conditioned firkin) and Uerige Sticke (gravity pour keg) have been delayed until late January. Moretti Birra La Rossa, Harpoon Winter Warmer and Rogue JLS Santa’s Private Reserve all were promised, but have not materialized.

IV. NABC'S (YOUR NAME HERE)FEST 2008 ESSAY CONTEST IS UNDERWAY.

The third installment of (Your name here)Fest, to be held at NABC, Rich O's and Sportstime, will come in late May, 2008.

The first was DaveFest, named for Dave Siltz, which took place in 2006. In 2007, it was SteveFest, in honor of Steve Hall.

The (Your name here)Fest is a consumer’s choice draft beer fest, with the Publican (that’s me) attempting within reason and various distribution constraints to assemble an annual contest winner’s ideal draft lineup.

As in 2007, there’ll be a month-long essay contest to select the 2008 (Your name here)Fest winner. Naturally, contestants must be 21 years of age. The contest begins immediately, and will conclude on February 1, 2008.

Read the rest here: Here are the contest rules for (Your name here)Fest in May, 2008.

V. ITINERARY FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST BREWTOUR '08 RELEASED.

The probably daily regimen can be perused here: Pacific Northwest Brew Tour, May 6 – 14, 2008. Next we'll be pricing the journey. If you're interested and haven't yet contacted me, please do so and you'll be placed on the mailing list.

VI. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.

Son of "At least it wasn't served with a tomato wedge."

How fast are they moving those beers?

Miller High Life: "Sweat-sock juice, burnt popcorn-flavored beer."

VII. DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.

Our NABC beers.

NABC began brewing in 2002, and we’re proud to be New Albany’s first active brewery since 1935. From very deep within the confines of NABC’s garage brewery, Jesse Williams and Jared Williamson conjure 8-barrel batches of regulars, old favorites and new formulations.

Always check the blackboards to see what’s on tap. For more information about NABC beers, go here.

Bob's Old 15-B ... We're calling it a robust, brown Porter precisely because style definitions were meant to be bent.

Bonfire of the Valkyries ... Smoked black lager; Saturnalia listed.

Community Dark ... Based on English Mild, and our light-bodied dark quaffer. 5% abv.

Croupier ... IPA dedicated to the workers at the Caesars Indiana riverboat casino in nearby Harrison County.

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 and assertive. Stern. Double IPA. Silver medal winner at the 2007 St. Louis Microfest.

Kaiser 2nd Reising ... The most renowned brewery in 19th-century New Albany was owned by Paul Reising, a German immigrant who set up shop at the corner of Spring and West Second. Like other continentally trained brewers in America, Reising found it necessary to adapt Old World recipes to New World ingredients. Expensive imported German hops were reserved for aroma and flavor, while less delicate homegrown varieties provided the bittering. American six-row barley replaced European two-row, and some corn was thrown in for good measure. The result was your great-grandfather’s pilsner.

Naughty Claus ... Spiced ale for Christmas (see above); Saturnalia listed.

Phoenix Kentucky Komon ... Retro style indigenous to Louisville; dark, smooth with a touch or roast, and sour.

Guests from near and far (market pricing).

ON TAP NOW: Everyday staples. Note that Alpha King will now often be rotating with Bell’s Two Hearted Ale . Why? Go here.

Alpha King

Guinness Stout

Lindemans Framboise

Pilsner Urquell

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Arrogant Bastard temporarily supplants Sierra Nevada circa January 10)

Smithwick’s Irish Ale

Spaten Premium Lager

Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)

Upland Wheat

ON TAP NOW: Rotating selections (limited engagement).

Bell’s Java Stout (Saturnalia)

Biere de Miel (Dupont) (Saturnalia)

Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Hang Ten Weizen Doppelbock (Saturnalia)

Great Divide Hibernation Ale (Saturnalia)

Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout (Saturnalia)

Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale

Ichtegems Grand Cru

Pyramid Snow Cap (Saturnalia)

Samuel Adams Winter Lager (Saturnalia)

Schlafly Christmas Ale (Saturnalia)

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale (Saturnalia)

Upland Pilsner

Upland Winter Warmer (Saturnalia)

In the bullpen (ready for duty when called upon to serve).

Browning's Oktoberfest

Oaken Barrel Epiphany (Saturnalia)

Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout (Saturnalia)

Poperings Hommel

Rogue "St. Rogue" Dry Hopped Red

Saison Dupont

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine

VIII. NEW BOTTLED BEER LIST HAS BEEN RELEASED.

The new bottled beer list was effective on Friday, December 7. The vintage collection was been folded into the listings by country, and separate listings have been added for Belgian Lambics and French Bieres de Garde. This will be the last update in the current format. In early February, I hope to inaugurate a new bottled beer list with far more information than the current listing. Read and print the list here: NABC's bottled beer menu .pdf

IX. 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, December 7

Saturnalia MMVII begins

Our fourth celebration of the winter solstice, with seasonal and holiday drafts. Note the date change; it has been moved forward one week.

----

Thursday & Friday, January 25 & 26

"The Worst Art Show Ever" at NABC, January 25 & 26.

----

Friday, February 29, 2008

Leap Year Gravity Head Number Ten

'Nuff said for now. The tenth anniversary of Gravity Head is slated to begin on the 29th of February, so make designated driver and bunking arrangements now.

Gravity Head 2008 update.

----

Credits:

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.

Publicanista! January 3, 2008.

In this edition of Publicanista!:

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: FINAL SATURNALIA UPDATE.

II. NABC'S (YOUR NAME HERE)FEST 2008 ESSAY CONTEST IS UNDERWAY.

III. FROM THE HAND PULL: LOOSE CANNON HOP 3 NOW POURING.

IV. ITINERARY FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST BREWTOUR '08 RELEASED.

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. NEW BOTTLED BEER LIST HAS BEEN RELEASED.

VIII. CALENDAR OF EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.

----

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: FINAL SATURNALIA UPDATE.

Our annual draft festival of Christmas beers, winter seasonals and choices that strike me as festive now spills into 2008. With Gravity Head slated for February 29, “permanent festival” might be the best way to describe matters at the pub ... and what could be wrong with that?

View the official Saturnalia MMVII program here (pdf). There'll be updates posted here and at my Potable Curmudgeon blog.

15 currently tapped ...

BELGIUM
Biere de Miel (Dupont)
De Dolle Stille Nacht

JAPAN
Hitachino Nest XH (aged in Shochu distilled sake casks)

UNITED STATES
Bell’s Java Stout
Boulder Never Summer Ale
Breckenridge Christmas Ale
Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza (kegged normally)
NABC Bonfire of the Valkyries
NABC Naughty Claus
New Holland Dragon’s Milk
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout
Pyramid Snow Cap
Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Xmas Porter

Still to come:

BELGIUM
De Glazen Toren Canaster Winter Scotch (delayed; late January)
De Glazen Toren Cuvee Angelique (delayed; late January)

DENMARK
WinterCoat Yule Ale (probably a scratch at this point)
WinterCoat Vildmose (delayed; late January)

GERMANY
Uerige Sticke (gravity pour keg) (delayed; late January)

ITALY
Moretti Birra La Rossa

UNITED STATES
Harpoon Winter Warmer
Oaken Barrel Epiphany
Rogue JLS Santa’s Private Reserve
Samuel Adams Winter Lager
Schlafly Christmas Ale
Upland Winter Warmer

Depleted ... but some of these will be reappearing later:

BELGIUM
De Ranke Pere Noel
Delirium Noel
Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux
Gouden Carolus Noel
Kasteel Rouge
La Rulles Cuvee Meilleurs Voeux
N ’Ice Chouffe

ENGLAND
Young's Winter Warmer (vintage 2006)

GERMANY
Aventinus Weizen Doppelbock
Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen

JAPAN
Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

UNITED STATES
Anchor Christmas Ale (“Merry Christmas & Happy New Year”)
Barley Island Bourbon Barrel-Aged Oatmeal Stout
BBC Hell for Certain
Bell’s Winter White
Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout
Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Hang Ten Weizen Doppelbock
Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Winter Storm
Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout
Great Divide Hibernation Ale
Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout
Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza (cask-conditioned firkin)
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Schlafly Pumpkin Ale

II. NABC'S (YOUR NAME HERE)FEST 2008 ESSAY CONTEST IS UNDERWAY.

The third installment of (Your name here)Fest, to be held at NABC, Rich O's and Sportstime, will come in late May, 2008.

The first was DaveFest, named for Dave Siltz, which took place in 2006. In 2007, it was SteveFest, in honor of Steve Hall.

The (Your name here)Fest is a consumer’s choice draft beer fest, with the Publican (that’s me) attempting within reason and various distribution constraints to assemble an annual contest winner’s ideal draft lineup.

As in 2007, there’ll be a month-long essay contest to select the 2008 (Your name here)Fest winner. Naturally, contestants must be 21 years of age. The contest begins immediately, and will conclude on February 1, 2008.

Read the rest here: Here are the contest rules for (Your name here)Fest in May, 2008.

III. FROM THE HAND PULL: LOOSE CANNON HOP 3 NOW POURING.

Cooler weather means we’re back in cask-conditioned “real ale” season. Here are the next selections for dispensing by the hand pump:

(NOW) Clipper City Loose Cannon Hop 3

(NEXT) Thornbridge Hall St. Petersburg Imperial Stout … U.K.; 7.7% abv.

For more information on cask-conditioned ale:

Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)

Warm, Flat and Boring -- the Truth About Cask Ale, from Rate Beer.

IV. ITINERARY FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST BREWTOUR '08 RELEASED.

The probably daily regimen can be perused here: Pacific Northwest Brew Tour, May 6 – 14, 2008. Next we'll be pricing the journey. If you're interested and haven't yet contacted me, please do so and you'll be placed on the mailing list.

V. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.

A thread: Can a great restaurant serve mass-market beer?

Mug Shots: The Year in Beer.

"Drive on old Bock."

Grrr ... part two.

Grrrrr ...

Don't scoff; it really does work that way.

Turn the other cheek ... that's what I always say (choke).

VI. DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.

Our NABC beers.

NABC began brewing in 2002, and we’re proud to be New Albany’s first active brewery since 1935. From very deep within the confines of NABC’s garage brewery, Jesse Williams and Jared Williamson conjure 8-barrel batches of regulars, old favorites and new formulations.

Always check the blackboards to see what’s on tap. For more information about NABC beers, go here.

Bob's Old 15-B ... We're calling it a robust, brown Porter precisely because style definitions were meant to be bent.

Bonfire of the Valkyries ... Smoked black lager; Saturnalia listed.

Community Dark ... Based on English Mild, and our light-bodied dark quaffer. 5% abv.

ConeSmoker ... Elegant Franconian smoked malt, an above average “noble” German hops presence and warm fermentation -- new twists on an old style.

Croupier ... IPA dedicated to the workers at the Caesars Indiana riverboat casino in nearby Harrison County.

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 and assertive. Stern. Double IPA. Silver medal winner at the 2007 St. Louis Microfest.

Naughty Claus ... Spiced ale for Christmas (see above); Saturnalia listed.

Phoenix Kentucky Komon ... Retro style indigenous to Louisville; dark, smooth with a touch or roast, and sour.

Guests from near and far (market pricing).

ON TAP NOW: Everyday staples. Note that Alpha King will now often be rotating with Bell’s Two Hearted Ale . Why? Go here.

NOTE: Arrogant Bastard is out of stock until Wednesday, January 9.

Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

Guinness Stout

Lindemans Framboise (wholesaler is out-of-stock at the present time)

Pilsner Urquell

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Smithwick’s Irish Ale

Spaten Premium Lager

Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)

Upland Wheat

ON TAP NOW: Rotating selections (limited engagement).

See Saturnalia LIST, above. One other special beer currently is on tap:

Ichtegems Grand Cru

In the bullpen (ready for duty when called upon to serve).

Partials will gradually be returning to the rotation, but there remain Saturnalia beers to tap. We'll not return to business as usual until well into January (thank heavens).

VII. NEW BOTTLED BEER LIST HAS BEEN RELEASED.

The new bottled beer list was effective on Friday, December 7. The vintage collection was been folded into the listings by country, and separate listings have been added for Belgian Lambics and French Bieres de Garde. This will be the last update in the current format. In early February, I hope to inaugurate a new bottled beer list with far more information than the current listing. Read and print the list here: NABC's bottled beer menu .pdf

VIII. 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, December 7

Saturnalia MMVII begins

Our fourth celebration of the winter solstice, with seasonal and holiday drafts. Note the date change; it has been moved forward one week.

----

Friday, February 29, 2008

Leap Year Gravity Head Number Ten

'Nuff said for now. The tenth anniversary of Gravity Head is slated to begin on the 29th of February, so make designated driver and bunking arrangements now.

----

Credits:

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.

Publicanista! December 27, 2007.

Due to technical difficulties, i.e., returning from Christmas break to discover an expired walk-in cooler at the Public House, there are other things to do than finish the weekly newsletter. I expect to have it posted on Friday, December 28, and things at work should return to normal by afternoon on Thursday. We're open as usual; however, some beers are warmer than others ...

Publicanista! December 20, 2007.

In this edition of Publicanista!:



IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: HOLIDAY CLOSING SCHEDULE.

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: SATURNALIA CONTINUES.

II. NABC BREWERY UPDATE: T-SHIRTS ARE HERE.

III. FROM THE HAND PULL: JAIPUR IPA UP TO BAT.

IV. ITINERARY FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST BREWTOUR '08 RELEASED.

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. NEW BOTTLED BEER LIST HAS BEEN RELEASED.

VIII. CALENDAR OF EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.

----

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: HOLIDAY CLOSING SCHEDULE.

NABC, Rich O's and Sportstime all will be closed on these upcoming days, in addition to the usual Sundays off:

Monday, December 24 - Christmas Eve
Tuesday, December 25 - Christmas Day

Monday, December 31 - New Year's Eve
Tuesday, January 1 - New Year's Day

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: SATURNALIA CONTINUES.

(Note to Dave: The Harpoon still is in transit. To get you through, I've ordered two kegs of Rogue Chocolate Stout, to be tapped ASAP)

Our annual draft festival of Christmas beers, winter seasonals and choices that strike me as festive will proceed throughout the month of December, and probably well beyond. With Gravity Head slated for February 29, “permanent festival” might be the best way to describe matters.

View the official Saturnalia MMVII program here (pdf). There'll be updates posted here and at my Potable Curmudgeon blog.

Based on an informal poll of the keg weights, I'd say that several of the Saturnalia beers currently tapped are poised to pop soon, so there should be some play by week's end.

Of the ones already gone, some will return later owing to multiple keg allotments.

16 currently tapped ...

BELGIUM
Biere de Miel (Dupont)
De Ranke Pere Noel
Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux
N ’Ice Chouffe

GERMANY
Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen

JAPAN
Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

UNITED STATES
Anchor Christmas Ale (“Merry Christmas & Happy New Year”)
BBC Hell for Certain
Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout
Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Winter Storm
Great Divide Hibernation Ale
Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout
NABC Bonfire of the Valkyries
NABC Naughty Claus
Schlafly Pumpkin Ale
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Still to come:

BELGIUM
De Dolle Stille Nacht
De Glazen Toren Canaster Winter Scotch
De Glazen Toren Cuvee Angelique
Delirium Noel
Kasteel Rouge

DENMARK
WinterCoat Yule Ale
WinterCoat Vildmose

GERMANY
Uerige Sticke (gravity pour keg)

ITALY
Moretti Birra La Rossa

JAPAN
Hitachino Nest XH (aged in Shochu distilled sake casks)

UNITED STATES
Barley Island Bourbon Barrel-Aged Oatmeal Stout
Bell’s Java Stout
Bell’s Winter White
Boulder Never Summer Ale
Breckenridge Christmas Ale
Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout
Harpoon Winter Warmer
Oaken Barrel Epiphany
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout
Pyramid Snow Cap
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Rogue JLS Santa’s Private Reserve
Samuel Adams Winter Lager
Schlafly Christmas Ale
Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Xmas Porter
Upland Winter Warmer

Depleted ... but some of these will be reappearing later:

BELGIUM
Gouden Carolus Noel
La Rulles Cuvee Meilleurs Voeux

ENGLAND
Young's Winter Warmer (vintage 2006)

GERMANY
Aventinus Weizen Doppelbock

UNITED STATES
Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Hang Ten Weizen Doppelbock
Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza (cask-conditioned firkin)
Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar

II. NABC BREWERY UPDATE: T-SHIRTS ARE HERE.

NABC Hoptimus, “These Machines Kill Fascists” and Sportstime 20th Anniversary tees are all in stock, along with (for the first time) brewery (logo + “I’m for It”) shirts in longsleeve. NABC’s t-shirts are okay as stocking stuffers, but work even better when you just wear the damn things.

III. FROM THE HAND PULL: JAIPUR IPA UP TO BAT.

Cooler weather means we’re back in cask-conditioned “real ale” season. Here are the next selections for dispensing by the hand pump:

(NOW) Thornbridge Hall Jaipur IPA … U.K.; 5.9% abv.
Thornbridge Hall St. Petersburg Imperial Stout … U.K.; 7.7% abv.

For more information on cask-conditioned ale:

Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)

Warm, Flat and Boring -- the Truth About Cask Ale, from Rate Beer.

IV. ITINERARY FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST BREWTOUR '08 RELEASED.

The probably daily regimen can be perused here: Pacific Northwest Brew Tour, May 6 – 14, 2008. Next we'll be pricing the journey. If you're interested and haven't yet contacted me, please do so and you'll be placed on the mailing list.

V. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.

Saturnalia MMVII official program and new bottled beer list.

Private beer tastings the subject of C-J article.

VI. DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.

Our NABC beers.

NABC began brewing in 2002, and we’re proud to be New Albany’s first active brewery since 1935. From very deep within the confines of NABC’s garage brewery, Jesse Williams and Jared Williamson conjure 8-barrel batches of regulars, old favorites and new formulations.

Always check the blackboards to see what’s on tap. For more information about NABC beers, go here.

Bob's Old 15-B ... We're calling it a robust, brown Porter precisely because style definitions were meant to be bent.

Bonfire of the Valkyries ... Smoked black lager; Saturnalia listed.

Community Dark ... Based on English Mild, and our light-bodied dark quaffer. 5% abv.

ConeSmoker ... Elegant Franconian smoked malt, an above average “noble” German hops presence and warm fermentation -- new twists on an old style.

Croupier ... IPA dedicated to the workers at the Caesars Indiana riverboat casino in nearby Harrison County.

Elector ... Making Democracy pointless since 2002; English malt, American hops. 7.2% abv. Double Red?

Hoptimus ... Massive and assertive. Stern. Double IPA. Silver medal winner at the 2007 St. Louis Microfest.

Mt. Lee ... California Common ("Steam"), named for the Hollywood mountainside with the famous sign. First brewed in 2006. It has been lightened in gravity and a.b.v. by roughly 10% for the current first summer of 2007 batch.

Naughty Claus ... Spiced ale for Christmas (see above); Saturnalia listed.

Phoenix Kentucky Komon ... Retro style indigenous to Louisville; dark, smooth with a touch or roast, and sour.

Guests from near and far (market pricing).

ON TAP NOW: Everyday staples. Note that Alpha King will now often be rotating with Bell’s Two Hearted Ale . Why? Go here.

Arrogant Bastard

Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

Guinness Stout

Lindemans Framboise (wholesaler is out-of-stock at the present time)

Pilsner Urquell

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Smithwick’s Irish Ale

Spaten Premium Lager

Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)

Upland Wheat

ON TAP NOW: Rotating selections (limited engagement).

See Saturnalia LIST, above.

In the bullpen (ready for duty when called upon to serve).

Partials will return, but not for a while. Through December, it's all about Saturnalia.

VII. NEW BOTTLED BEER LIST HAS BEEN RELEASED.

The new bottled beer list will be effective on Friday, December 7. The vintage collection has been folded into the listings by country, and separate listings have been added for Belgian Lambics and French Bieres de Garde. This will be the last update in the current format. In early February, I hope to inaugurate a new bottled beer list with far more information than the current listing. Read and print the list here: NABC's bottled beer menu .pdf

VIII. 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, December 7

Saturnalia MMVII begins

Our fourth celebration of the winter solstice, with seasonal and holiday drafts. Note the date change; it has been moved forward one week.

----

Thursday, December 27

Pants Down Potluck Port Circle

This year's gathering of the Pants Down Potluck Port Circle is Thursday, December 27.

----

Friday, February 29, 2008

Leap Year Gravity Head Number Ten

'Nuff said for now. The tenth anniversary of Gravity Head is slated to begin on the 29th of February, so make designated driver and bunking arrangements now.

----

Credits:

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.

Publicanista! December 6, 2007.

In this edition of Publicanista!:



I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: SATURNALIA RETURNS.

II. NABC BREWERY UPDATE:HOLIDAY FLOOD OF HOUSE BEERS.

III. FROM THE HAND PULL: MORE CASKS ARE QUEUED.

IV. ITINERARY FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST BREWTOUR '08 RELEASED.

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. NEW BOTTLED BEER LIST HAS BEEN RELEASED.

VIII. CALENDAR OF EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.

----

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: SATURNALIA RETURNS.

Saturnalia begins at 1:00 p.m.on Friday, December 7. Our annual draft festival of Christmas beers, winter seasonals and choices that strike me as festive will proceed throughout the month of December, and probably well beyond. With Gravity Head slated for February 29, “permanent festival” might be the best way to describe matters.

The previously published pre-order list for Saturnalia MMVII underwent a few alterations before finality was achieved, but arguably fewer changes than I feared. Cross your fingers; some kegs are still in transit. A few probably won’t make it until January.

Now, back to the list. Unavoidably scratched were Scaldis Noel, St. Feuillien Cuvee de Noel and Urthel Bock, all Belgians, and Brooklyn Brewery Winter Ale, Flying Dog K-9 Cruiser and North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout.

I chose not to attempt replacing the Belgians, because currently there is a backlog of Belgians in the pipeline (Ichtegem Grand Cru, Moinette, Moinette Bruin and Saison Dupont among them), and these will simply be plugged in when the time comes.

The chance arose to get Moretti, an old favorite in bottles but one that we’ve never had on draft, so it was added to the list.

Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout, Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout and Samuel Adams Winter Lager were added to the ledger from the States. I’m disappointed that Old Rasputin didn’t make it. We’ll keep trying.

View the official Saturnalia MMVII program here (pdf). There'll be updates posted here and at my Potable Curmudgeon blog, but they'll not begin until the 18th of December.

17 starters ...

BELGIUM
De Ranke Pere Noel
Gouden Carolus Noel
La Rulles Cuvee Meilleurs Voeux

ENGLAND
Young's Winter Warmer (vintage 2006)

GERMANY
Aventinus Weizen Doppelbock
Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen

JAPAN
Hitachino Nest Espresso Stout

UNITED STATES
BBC Hell for Certain
Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout
Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Hang Ten Weizen Doppelbock
Great Divide Hibernation Ale
Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza (cask-conditioned firkin)
NABC Bonfire of the Valkyries
NABC Naughty Claus
Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar
Schlafly Pumpkin Ale
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Still to come:

BELGIUM
Biere de Miel (Dupont)
De Dolle Stille Nacht
De Glazen Toren Canaster Winter Scotch
De Glazen Toren Cuvee Angelique
Delirium Noel
Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux
Kasteel Rouge
N ’Ice Chouffe

DENMARK
WinterCoat Yule Ale
WinterCoat Vildmose

GERMANY
Uerige Sticke (gravity pour keg)

ITALY
Moretti Birra La Rossa

JAPAN
Hitachino Nest XH (aged in Shochu distilled sake casks)

UNITED STATES
Anchor Christmas Ale (“Merry Christmas & Happy New Year”)
Barley Island Bourbon Barrel-Aged Oatmeal Stout
Bell’s Java Stout
Bell’s Winter White
Boulder Never Summer Ale
Breckenridge Christmas Ale
Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Winter Storm
Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout
Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout
Harpoon Winter Warmer
Oaken Barrel Epiphany
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout
Pyramid Snow Cap
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Rogue JLS Santa’s Private Reserve
Samuel Adams Winter Lager
Schlafly Christmas Ale
Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Xmas Porter
Upland Winter Warmer

II. NABC BREWERY UPDATE:HOLIDAY FLOOD OF HOUSE BEERS.

Concurrent with Saturnalia, NABC will have ten house-brewed beers on tap (see below for list).

I botched the Naughty Claus listing in the Saturnalia program. The spices/seasonings used in this year's version do NOT include ornage peel. There are cinnamon, fresh ginger and vanilla beans in 2007, and the character, while similar to 2006, is different.

NABC’s local connection Logo Designs is busy creating fresh allotments of t-shirts for the holiday season. There’ll be Hoptimus and “These Machines Kill Fascists” tees, and, for the first time, brewery (logo + “I’m for It”) shirts in longsleeve. Finally, another small release of the past summer’s Sportstime 20th anniversary tees (men’s and women’s styles) is coming out. NABC’s t-shirts are okay as stocking stuffers, but work even better when you just wear the damn things.

III. FROM THE HAND PULL: MORE CASKS ARE QUEUED.

Cooler weather means we’re back in cask-conditioned “real ale” season. Here are the next selections for dispensing by the hand pump:

(NOW) Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza Special Ale … Michigan; Saturnalia listed; 9% abv.
Thornbridge Hall Jaipur IPA … U.K.; 5.9% abv.
Thornbridge Hall St. Petersburg Imperial Stout … U.K.; 7.7% abv.

For more information on cask-conditioned ale:

Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)

Warm, Flat and Boring -- the Truth About Cask Ale, from Rate Beer.

IV. ITINERARY FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST BREWTOUR '08 RELEASED.

The probably daily regimen can be perused here: Pacific Northwest Brew Tour, May 6 – 14, 2008. Next we'll be pricing the journey. If you're interested and haven't yet contacted me, please do so and you'll be placed on the mailing list.

V. RECENT NEWS AND ARTICLES AT THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON’S BEER BLOG.

Saturnalia MMVII official program and new bottled beer list.

New production facility for Cumberland Brews.

Barista credentials helpful, too.

Private beer tastings the subject of C-J article.

"Moss the Boss": Self portrait, circa '96.

VI. DRAFT BEERS: OUR LIQUID, DAILY BREAD, ON TAP AT RICH O’S AND SPORTSTIME.

Our NABC beers.

NABC began brewing in 2002, and we’re proud to be New Albany’s first active brewery since 1935. From very deep within the confines of NABC’s garage brewery, Jesse Williams and Jared Williamson conjure 8-barrel batches of regulars, old favorites and new formulations.

Always check the blackboards to see what’s on tap. For more information about NABC beers, go here.

Bob's Old 15-B ... We're calling it a robust, brown Porter precisely because style definitions were meant to be bent.

Bonfire of the Valkyries ... Smoked black lager; Saturnalia listed.

Community Dark ... Based on English Mild, and our light-bodied dark quaffer. 5% abv.

ConeSmoker ... Elegant Franconian smoked malt, an above average “noble” German hops presence and warm fermentation -- new twists on an old style.

Croupier ... IPA dedicated to the workers at the Caesars Indiana riverboat casino in nearby Harrison County.

Elector ... Making Democracy pointless since 2002; English malt, American hops. 7.2% abv. Double Red?

Hoptimus ... Massive and assertive. Stern. Double IPA. Silver medal winner at the 2007 St. Louis Microfest.

Mt. Lee ... California Common ("Steam"), named for the Hollywood mountainside with the famous sign. First brewed in 2006. It has been lightened in gravity and a.b.v. by roughly 10% for the current first summer of 2007 batch.

Naughty Claus ... Spiced ale for Christmas (see above); Saturnalia listed.

Phoenix Kentucky Komon ... Retro style indigenous to Louisville; dark, smooth with a touch or roast, and sour.

Guests from near and far (market pricing).

ON TAP NOW: Everyday staples. Note that Alpha King will now often be rotating with Bell’s Two Hearted Ale . Why? Go here.

Arrogant Bastard

Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

Guinness Stout

Lindemans Framboise (wholesaler is out-of-stock at the present time)

Pilsner Urquell

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Smithwick’s Irish Ale

Spaten Premium Lager

Sprecher Root Beer (non-alcoholic)

Upland Wheat

ON TAP NOW: Rotating selections (limited engagement).

See Saturnalia starters, above.

In the bullpen (ready for duty when called upon to serve).

Partials will return, but not for a while. Through December, it's all about Saturnalia.

VII. NEW BOTTLED BEER LIST HAS BEEN RELEASED.

The new bottled beer list will be effective on Friday, December 7. The vintage collection has been folded into the listings by country, and separate listings have been added for Belgian Lambics and French Bieres de Garde. This will be the last update in the current format. In early February, I hope to inaugurate a new bottled beer list with far more information than the current listing. Read and print the list here: NABC's bottled beer menu .pdf

VIII. 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, December 7

Saturnalia MMVII begins

Our fourth celebration of the winter solstice, with seasonal and holiday drafts. Note the date change; it has been moved forward one week.

----

Monday, December 17

NABC, Rich O's and Sportstime will be closed to recover from the annual holiday party!

----

Thursday, December 27

Pants Down Potluck Port Circle

This year's gathering of the Pants Down Potluck Port Circle is Thursday, December 27.

----

Friday, February 29, 2008

Leap Year Gravity Head Number Ten

'Nuff said for now. The tenth anniversary of Gravity Head is slated to begin on the 29th of February, so make designated driver and bunking arrangements now.

----

Credits:

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.