Publicanista! ... September 28, 2006.

In this edition of Publicanista!:

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: LUPULIN LAND HARVEST HOP FESTIVAL 2006 BEGINS OCTOBER 13.

II. NABC BREWERY NEWS: GEARING UP FOR HARVEST HOMECOMING.

III. GOOD NEWS IN THE DRAFT BEER REALM.

IV. UNAVOIDABLE NEWS IN THE DRAFT BEER REALM.

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. BOTTLED BEER NEWS: ONE NEW ONE THIS WEEK, ONE NEXT WEEK.

VIII. CONGRATULATIONS TO NIKKI AND KYLE ON THEIR WEDDING DURING LAST WEEKEND'S MONSOON.

IX. EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.

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I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: LUPULIN LAND HARVEST HOP FESTIVAL 2006 BEGINS OCTOBER 13.

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.

Residents of New Albany should note that the Harvest Homecoming Parade takes place on the previous Saturday (October 7), and Booth Days run from the 12th through the 15th.

The delivery timing on the three "fresh hop" ales listed for the festival (Bell's, Great Divide and Sierra Nevada) is going to be tricky, so they may not appear until later in October.

Randall the Enamel Animal will be brought back for a second appearance at Lupulin Land. Details will be provided soon.

Roughly 10-14 of these will be on tap when the fest opens, in addition to the everyday beers.

Those marked * are first-time drafts.

Microbrews from America (16).

Avery Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale ... in house

BBC Beer Company (Main & Clay) American Pale Ale (dry-hopped; cask-conditioned) ... ordered, not received

Bluegrass Brewing Company (St. Matthews) Ultra/aka Homewrecker (dry-hopped; cask-conditioned) ... ordered, not received

*Bell’s Hop Slam Imperial IPA ... ordered, not received

*Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale ... ordered, not received

Great Divide Hercules Double IPA ... ordered, not received

*Great Divide Titan IPA ... ordered, not received

NABC Hoptimus ... in house

*NABC Oaktimus ... in house

Rogue I2PA ... in house

Rogue JLS Integrity IPA JLS Release #14 (2006 redux) ... in house

Rogue Morimoto Imperial Pilsner ... in house

*Rogue Juniper Pale Ale ... in house

*Shmaltz Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A. ... in house

Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale ... ordered, not received

Stone Ruination IPA ... in house

Imports (5).

Hitachino Nest Japanese Classic Ale (Japan) ... in house

Houblon Chouffe (Belgium) ... in house

Jever Pilsener (Germany) ... in house

Poperings Hommel Bier (Belgium) ... in house

St. Georgenbrau Keller Bier (Germany) ... in house

Year-round offerings -- on tap throughout Lupulin Land (7).

Alpha King

Arrogant Bastard

Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

NABC Croupier IPA

NABC Elector

Pilsner Urquell

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

II. NABC BREWERY NEWS: GEARING UP FOR HARVEST HOMECOMING.

This year, with the advent of the Bistro New Albany, fest goers are guaranteed the availability of more good beer than ever before during booth days. The Daves currently are working on a plan to expand their patio by adding a “beer garden” on the adjacent parking lot. It would feature their full bNA lineup of NABC beers and guests.

We’re optimistic that this year’s Harvest Homecoming booth days will be the first of many that will see local beer aficionados stopping by Bistro New Albany for a pint before braving the sea of humanity for inexplicable elephant ears and rote political party solicitations.

Jesse and Jared have brewed a batch of Hallertauer-hopped golden ale that we'll have on hand at bNA for Harvest Homecoming. Check back next week for expanded information, and read this PC article for Harvest Homecoming background:

There'll be good beer at Harvest Homecoming this year, thanks to Bistro New Albany.

For a listing of where NABC beers can be found, see NABC outside accounts in Southern Indiana.

III. GOOD NEWS IN THE DRAFT BEER REALM.

Three Rogue ales currently are on draft, including Rogue JLS #17: Monk Madness, which strikes me as similar to Mogul Madness, but with Belgian malts and different hopping.

A shipment of specialty drafts has arrived, courtesy of B. United International and Cavalier Distributing. There are others in the pipeline, but these will be cellared for tapping during Saturnalia and Gravity Head.

Here are the ones on tap now:

Regenboog t’Smisje Blond
Brouwerij de Regenboog, Brugge, Belgium
6% abv
Golden ale brewed with typical eccentricity by the estimable Johan Brand, with Pilsner malt, Challenger hops, and gentle spicing with lime (Linden) blossoms.

Aecht Schlenkerla Weizen
Brauerei Heller-Trum, Bamberg, Germany
5.2% abv
The barley is smoked in-house, but the wheat malt is not. The result is a distinctive hybrid, with the characteristic Weizen fruity esters and clove-like phenols alongside the trademark Schlenkerla smokiness.

Special drafts coming next week (circa October 4 or 5):

Regenboog Guido
Brouwerij de Regenboog, Brugge, Belgium
Circa 8% abv
Brewed to commemorate poet, priest and Flemish language proponent Guido Gezelle, a Brugge native son. Johan adds raisins and honey to create a formidable dark ale.

Regenboog t’Smisje Speciale (i.e., Halloween)
Brouwerij de Regenboog, Brugge, Belgium
10.5% abv
Here’s a description from David Frost, our B. United representative:

Johan bottles it in Belgium, but we don't bring it in here (in bottles), so it's only available in keg right now … I tried it when I visited him last year, and really enjoyed it -- insisting we get a least a few kegs. Not overly sweet at all (malty, though) but warming. Pumpkin-y in a gourd/vegetal way, not a "pumpkin pie" way -- though there seems to be a touch of spice.

Bell’s Octoberfest Beer
Bell’s Brewery, Kalamazoo, Michigan
5.5% abv
The Bells version of the Bavarian seasonal lager – with the spelling in English, sans –k.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, Delaware
7% abv
Brown ale with pumpkin and brown sugar.

IV. UNAVOIDABLE NEWS IN THE DRAFT BEER REALM.

When I'm feeling ill, it's typical for me to wait until the last possible moment before visiting the doctor and doing something about it.

In like fashion, draft beer prices are going up, effective Monday, October 9. Most beers in my clusters of pricing tiers will rise by a quarter (.25) per pint, which represents far less than a 10% increase, but one that's become inevitable given the higher wholesale prices for guest beers and the increased cost of raw materials for NABC products.

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

Here are recently posted articles:

Happy Hour in the restaurant car on the EC-22, on 18 September, 2006.

I like drinking beer in train stations.

A beer or two while waiting for the train.

Hopping over to the Zatec hop festival -- another view.

Hopping over to the Zatec hop festival.

She may have forgotten to charge us for one or two.

Teaser: Beercycling is concluded for now, but the stories should continue to grow as the months pass.

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.

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 assistance from Jared Williamson.

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.

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?

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.

Mt. Lee ... California Common, in the style of the famous brand which trademarked the name "steam." Get my drift?

Guests from near and far.
Market pricing.

Staples:

Alpha King

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

Rotating (limited engagement)

Bell's Kalamazoo Stout

Founders Red's Rye

Regenboog t’Smisje Blond

Rogue Brutal Bitter

Rogue JLS #17: Monk Madness

Rogue (dry-hopped) St. Rogue Red

Schlafly Oktoberfest

Schlenkerla Weizen

Spaten Oktoberfest

Stone IPA

Weihenstephaner Weissbier Dunkel

Bullpen:

Bell’s Octoberfest Beer

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

Regenboog Guido

Regenboog t’Smisje Speciale (i.e., Halloween)

VII. BOTTLED BEER NEWS: ONE NEW ONE THIS WEEK, ONE NEXT WEEK.

This week: Founders Bad Habit Belgian Quad (9.8% abv) joins the rotating bottled list.

Next week: Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu will arrive.

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.

VIII. CONGRATULATIONS TO NIKKI AND KYLE ON THEIR WEDDING DURING LAST WEEKEND'S MONSOON.

And the best of luck to both of them. Nikki's working for us again, and she'll be primarily responsible for the Prost special events wing -- planning, scheduling and hosting gatherings there. We're very happy to have her back in the fold.

Once a routine is established, look for a newsletter section devoted to the week's special activities in Prost. One that may be happening soon is a tasting of beers from the Schlafly Brewing Company of St. Louis. My old acquaintance John Campbell recently was appointed as the brewery's sales representative for Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee, and last evening we discussed a late October or early November date to enjoy his products in the comfort of Prost.

IX. 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 Thursday 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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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.

Publicanista! ... September 21, 2006.

PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: LET'S EASE BACK INTO THIS, OKAY?

Another beercycling adventure has come to an end, and the Publican has returned to the fold to resume work.

As you might imagine, any holiday that requires immediate alcohol rehab upon its conclusion poses certain challenges to the resumption of gainful activity. Consequently, today’s “comeback” newsletter is going to be short. By September 28, things should be back to normal.

Also, look for important tidings about NABC beers and Bistro New Albany during the forthcoming Harvest Homecoming celebration in downtown New Albany. I hope to be able to tell you more next week.

Sad news.
Catherine Vitt (Amy and Kate’s grandmother; Sharon O’Connell’s mom) died earlier in the week at the age of 84, and NABC’s thoughts are with the gals. You can read the C-J’s obituary here.

The spinach saga.
As many of you already know, our customary mix of greens currently isn’t available to us owing to the great spinach scare of 2006. Mark Fraley Produce is providing a different salad mix to us. The spinach we use on pizzas and in Greek lasagna is precooked even before being baked at 600 degrees, and will continue to be available. As for the fresh … we’re all waiting to see what happens next.

Our NABC beer.
In my absence, the brew crew released a batch of California Common named Mt. Lee, for the hill where the Hollywood sign stands. At first I thought it was “Mr. Lee,” and wondered why we were naming a beer after the chain of Chinese carry-out joints spotted in Vienna.

NABC beers currently on draft.

The list of guest drafts will return next week. House beers are brewed in New Albany by NABC’s Jesse Williams, with assistance from Jared Williamson.

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.

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?

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.

Mt. Lee ... California Common, in the style of the famous brand which trademarked the name "steam." Get my drift?

Lupulin Land Harvest Hop festival.
Our annual homage to the magic cone begins on Friday, October 13, and the beginning coincides with “booth days” at New Albany’s yearly Harvest Homecoming celebration. There’ll be a surprise or two, and many past favorites, and Randall the Enamel Animal is expected to appear for a second year to dry-hop a yet-to-be-named choice. More definitive information should be available next week. Meanwhile: UPDATED: Previews: Lupulin Land & Saturnalia (2006) and Gravity Head (2007).

Bistro New Albany’s great review in LEO.
LEO's Eat 'N' Blog With Louisville Hot Bytes: Drop your Kentucky prejudice and head to Bistro New Albany

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.

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.

FINIS.

Publicanista! ... August 24, 2006.

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.

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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:

End of an era: Keg box swap.

On hating megabreweries and the trade rags that glorify them.

Fifteen years is enough.

The "Incider" No. 2 ... Rocky Meadow orchard news.

Cumberland Brews celebrates six years on Monday, August 21.

It depends on what "beer" is.

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:

Alpha King

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

Rotating (limited engagement)

Celebrator Doppelbock

Founders Centennial IPA

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

Schlafly Kolsch

Schlenkerla Urbock

Schneider Wiesen Edel-Weisse

Triple Karmeliet

Weihenstephaner Weissbier Dunkel

Bullpen:

Delirium Tremens

New Holland Dragon’s Milk

Rogue JLS Release #17 Brewer 2006

Stone IPA

Upland Oktoberfest

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

Brew At the (Louisville) Zoo

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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).

----

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).

----

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.

Publicanista! ... August 17, 2006.

In this edition of Publicanista!:

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: SCHLENKERLA RAUCHBIER IN ALL ITS ASSORTED GLORIES.

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 NEXT WEEK.

VI. EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.

----

I. PUBLICAN'S CHOICE: SCHLENKERLA RAUCHBIER IN ALL ITS ASSORTED GLORIES.

Today's newsletter and next Thursday's issue will be the final two missives prior to a three-week vacation break that will be spent in part beercycling with the lads in Bamberg, Germany, home of the worlds's greatest smoked beer.

See: How we operate: Beercycling in Central Europe, 2006.

I've chosen this fact to inaugurate "Publican's Choice," which henceforth will lead off each issue of Publicanista! with a tip, rumination, speculation or shameless commercial plug.

We've just received a fresh shipment of Schlenkerla bottled beers, including Marzen, Urbock, Wheat (all with ample smoked character) as well as a case of the brewery's Helles Lagerbier, the latter reviewed here: The lure of Franconia strong even when the Schlenkerla's not smoked.

The bottled Helles will be available for sale on Friday (tomorrow). The others are stocked and ready.

There's also a keg of Urbock currently on tap. It's fresh, smoky, full-bodied and delicious.

For more on these favorites, see: Schlenkerla & the Brauerei Heller Trum: Upholding traditions in Bamberg.

In honor of the forthcoming immersion into German and Czech brewing and beer styles, I'm consuming as much aggressively hoppy American-style microbrews as possible. Duly fortified, I'll be able to enjoy the range of Central European styles, safe in the knowledge that ale will be waiting upon my return.

II. NABC BREWERY NEWS: BREW AT THE ZOO IS AUGUST 26.

NABC’s brew crew of Jesse Williams and Jared Williamson survived last weekend's Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin, and report brisk sales of NABC's "These Machines Kill Fascists" t-shirts -- a new batch of which should be in stock within the next week.

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:

REWIND: PC '96 - A Day at the Fair.

Pizzeria and pub door art.

Our correspondent writes: "My first Miller High Life."

Bistro New Albany's draft beer selection.

The ideal restorative.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Staples:

Arrogant Bastard

Alpha King

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

Rotating (limited engagement)

Celebrator Doppelbock

Piraat

Rogue JLS Release #15 Alt Bier

Rogue Chipotle Ale

Rogue Shakespeare Stout

Schlafly Kolsch

Schlenkerla Urbock

Schneider Wiesen Edel-Weisse

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine

Bullpen:

Founders Centennial IPA

Rogue JLS Release #16 Imperial Porter (one now, one later)

Rogue JLS Release #17 Brewer 2006

Rogue (dry-hopped) St. Rogue Red

Triple Karmeliet

V. BOTTLED BEER NEWS: LIST UPDATE COMING NEXT WEEK.

Yesterday a belated special order shipment was received, most of which was devoted to filling holes in the regular bottled beer list, which accordingly will be updated and republished next week.

Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel (Belgium), Obolon Porter (Ukraine), Svyturys Baltijos (Lithuania) and Utenos Porter (Lithuania) are being added to the regular list.

A few other beers are back in stock. Check back next week for further details.

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.

----

Saturday, August 19

SWIRCA Craft Brewer's Festival in Evansville, Indiana

The event is at the Casino Aztar, and NABC's participation is unlikely owing to the already busy August festival.

----

Saturday, August 26

Brew At the (Louisville) Zoo

----

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).

----

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).

----

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.

Publicanista! ... August 10, 2006.

In this edition of Publicanista!:

I. FEATURED LINK: FOSSILS ELECTIONS COMING IN SEPTEMBER.

II. NABC BREWERY NEWS: NABC IS OFF TO WISCONSIN.

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: LA CHOULETTE, THIRIEZ, LINDEMANS POMME, STONE VERTICAL EPIC 06/06/06 AND ROGUE CHIPOTLE.

VI. EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.

----

I. FEATURED LINK: FOSSILS ELECTIONS COMING IN SEPTEMBER.

FOSSILS elections approaching ... legacies up for grabs.

II. NABC BREWERY NEWS: NABC IS OFF TO WISCONSIN.

Remember to visit the events section below for updates on summer fests and coming attractions. Next up is the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin, which is the signature beer event in the region ... perhaps in the country.

Back home, for a listing of where our beers can be found, see NABC outside accounts in Southern Indiana. We're adding a second tap -- probably Elector -- at Stratto's in Clarksville.

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

Here are recently posted articles:

A Stockholm rumination.

Egg on Harvard Medical's face.

Czech beer in the New York Times.

Beer list: Jack Fry’s Restaurant.

Are oatmeal and pumpkins the "wrong ingredients" in beer?

More Orlando adventures in beer with Tom Moench.

A reader asks: “What is a contract brew?”

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.

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.

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?

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.

Staples:

Arrogant Bastard

Alpha King

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

Rotating (limited engagement)

Celebrator Doppelbock

Gulden Draak

Rogue JLS Release #15 Alt Bier

Rogue Chipotle Ale

Rogue Shakespeare Stout

Schlafly Kolsch

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine

Warsteiner Premium Dunkel

Weihenstephaner Weissbier Dunkel

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier

Bullpen:

Piraat

Rogue (dry-hopped) St. Rogue Red

V. BOTTLED BEER NEWS: LA CHOULETTE, THIRIEZ, LINDEMANS POMME, STONE VERTICAL EPIC 06/06/06 AND ROGUE CHIPOTLE.

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.

Bottled beers sales have been brisk this summer, so I’ve added five new rotating selections.

La Choulette Ambree and Thiriez Amber
Two amber French bieres de garde that were not depleted at the recent Tour de Garde dinner at Bistro New Albany. Both are wonderful matches with pizza, and are being offered (while they last) at a special price of $10.00 per bottle, on premise.

Lindemans Pomme
Jolly Rancher (not Jolly Pumpkin!) meets Brettomyces, with results that some will love, others may wish to reserve for candied apples.

Stone Vertical Epic Ale 06/06/06
Latest in the much anticipated series, and there’s only a dozen bottles for vending to the public, as I’m guessing that many of you have already purchased your bottles for setting aside.

Rogue Chipotle Ale
A keg of Chipotle Ale is about to go on tap, and I bought a case of bombers to precede it. The peppers are smoked, mild chipotles, and the beer is Rogue’s Oregon Golden. While visiting Rogue Public Ale, I matched a pint of Chipotle with an oyster shooter. Too bad we don’t have ‘em at Rich O’s.

***From the last update …

Obolon Porter (Ukraine), Svyturys Baltijos (Lithuania) and Utenos Porter (Lithuania)
These have gone over so well that I purchased second cases of each. Obolon tastes like a milder version of imperial-leaning Okocim Porter or Baltika 6 (itself current out of stock), while Utenos makes subtle swipes in the direction of Doppelbock. Svyturys is best compared to a Marzen or Oktoberfest style. All are excellent value.

***Microbrews

Bluegrass Brewing Company
BBC Professor Gesser's Mind Numbing Ale (750 ml; 7.1% abv)
BBC Homewrecker Double IPA (750 ml; circa 10% abv, and formerly sold as Ultra)
I know these bottlings are from the pub on Shelbyville Road, and the recipes are pub brewer Jerry Gnagy’s. Beyond that, I’m not sure about the genus of the program, although I’m guessing that BBC Shelbyville Road is free to sell bottled beers that aren’t the same as the line offered by the production brewery downtown. I’ve sampled the Homewrecker, and it is spritzy, lethal, and veering toward a barley wine.

Founders Curmudgeon Old Ale (12 oz; 9.3% abv)
It’s named for the Publican – and comes from a brewery that seemingly can do no wrong.

Stone Imperial Stout (22 oz)
Stone’s is one of my favorite versions of one of my favorite styles; black liquid sipping delight irrespective of the weather. Two cases (24 bottles) remain, and then it’s gone until next year.

***Imports

De Glazen Toren Jan de Lichte (750 ml; 7.5% abv)
Listed as “Imperial Wit,” or to me, another way of saying “Grand Cru” in the Belgian sense of the usage. A higher gravity spiced White.

De Glazen Toren Ondineke (750 ml; 8.5% abv)
Tripel from Aalst. No spices are used.

Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel (Belgium; 750 ml)
Chouffe suspended its seasonal specialty program a few years back, but has returned in a big way with this much-anticipated hybrid. What is it like? Just remember that the magic hop cone is rendered “houblon” in French, and it all makes sense. This selection will be added to the regular daily bottled beer menu when it is next revised in a couple of weeks.

Le Baladin Wayan (Italy; 750 ml; 5.8%)
Nothing has been as surprising, and gratifying, than the recent arrivals of high-quality Italian microbrews. From the maker of Super Baladin and Nora comes another: Wayan, a clean, crisp Saison true to the Belgian style.

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.

----

Saturday, August 12

Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin.

It’s one the top three beer fests in the nation, a perennial box-office sell-out, and certainly the big event with the most relevance to NABC. Web site information is dated, but will be revised later in 2006.

----

Saturday, August 19

SWIRCA Craft Brewer's Festival in Evansville, Indiana

The event is at the Casino Aztar, and NABC's participation is tentative owing to the already busy August festival.

----

Saturday, August 26

Brew At the (Louisville) Zoo

----

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).

----

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).

----

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.

Publicanista! ... August 3, 2006.

In this edition of Publicanista!:

I. BOTTLED BEER NEWS: LA CHOULETTE, THIRIEZ, LINDEMANS POMME, STONE VERTICAL EPIC 06/06/06 AND ROGUE CHIPOTLE.

II. NABC BREWERY NEWS: FEST SEASON ROLLS ON AS NABC PREPARES FOR THE ANNUAL TREK TO WISCONSIN.

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

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

V. EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.

----

I. BOTTLED BEER NEWS: LA CHOULETTE, THIRIEZ, LINDEMANS POMME, STONE VERTICAL EPIC 06/06/06 AND ROGUE CHIPOTLE.

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.

Bottled beers sales have been brisk this summer, so I’ve added five new rotating selections.

La Choulette Ambree and Thiriez Amber
Two amber French bieres de garde that were not depleted at the recent Tour de Garde dinner at Bistro New Albany. Both are wonderful matches with pizza, and are being offered (while they last) at a special price of $10.00 per bottle, on premise.

Lindemans Pomme
Jolly Rancher (not Jolly Pumpkin!) meets Brettomyces, with results that some will love, others may wish to reserve for candied apples.

Stone Vertical Epic Ale 06/06/06
Latest in the much anticipated series, and there’s only a dozen bottles for vending to the public, as I’m guessing that many of you have already purchased your bottles for setting aside.

Rogue Chipotle Ale
A keg of Chipotle Ale is about to go on tap, and I bought a case of bombers to precede it. The peppers are smoked, mild chipotles, and the beer is Rogue’s Oregon Golden. While visiting Rogue Public Ale, I matched a pint of Chipotle with an oyster shooter. Too bad we don’t have ‘em at Rich O’s.

***From the last update …

Obolon Porter (Ukraine), Svyturys Baltijos (Lithuania) and Utenos Porter (Lithuania)
These have gone over so well that I purchased second cases of each. Obolon tastes like a milder version of imperial-leaning Okocim Porter or Baltika 6 (itself current out of stock), while Utenos makes subtle swipes in the direction of Doppelbock. Svyturys is best compared to a Marzen or Oktoberfest style. All are excellent value.

***Microbrews

Bluegrass Brewing Company
BBC Professor Gesser's Mind Numbing Ale (750 ml; 7.1% abv)
BBC Homewrecker Double IPA (750 ml; circa 10% abv, and formerly sold as Ultra)
I know these bottlings are from the pub on Shelbyville Road, and the recipes are pub brewer Jerry Gnagy’s. Beyond that, I’m not sure about the genus of the program, although I’m guessing that BBC Shelbyville Road is free to sell bottled beers that aren’t the same as the line offered by the production brewery downtown. I’ve sampled the Homewrecker, and it is spritzy, lethal, and veering toward a barley wine.

Founders Curmudgeon Old Ale (12 oz; 9.3% abv)
It’s named for the Publican – and comes from a brewery that seemingly can do no wrong.

Stone Imperial Stout (22 oz)
Stone’s is one of my favorite versions of one of my favorite styles; black liquid sipping delight irrespective of the weather. Two cases (24 bottles) remain, and then it’s gone until next year.

***Imports

De Glazen Toren Jan de Lichte (750 ml; 7.5% abv)
Listed as “Imperial Wit,” or to me, another way of saying “Grand Cru” in the Belgian sense of the usage. A higher gravity spiced White.

De Glazen Toren Ondineke (750 ml; 8.5% abv)
Tripel from Aalst. No spices are used.

Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel (Belgium; 750 ml)
Chouffe suspended its seasonal specialty program a few years back, but has returned in a big way with this much-anticipated hybrid. What is it like? Just remember that the magic hop cone is rendered “houblon” in French, and it all makes sense. This selection will be added to the regular daily bottled beer menu when it is next revised in a couple of weeks.

Le Baladin Wayan (Italy; 750 ml; 5.8%)
Nothing has been as surprising, and gratifying, than the recent arrivals of high-quality Italian microbrews. From the maker of Super Baladin and Nora comes another: Wayan, a clean, crisp Saison true to the Belgian style.

II. NABC BREWERY NEWS: FEST SEASON ROLLS ON AS NABC PREPARES FOR THE ANNUAL TREK TO WISCONSIN.

Remember to visit the events section below for updates on summer fests and coming attractions. Next up is the Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin, which is the signature beer event in the region ... perhaps in the country.

Last weekend was the Indiana Microbrewer's Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana's big annual beer event. NABC's Jesse Williams gives his overview in a podcast linked here: Indiana Microbrewer's Festival recap and interview with Jesse Williams.

Back home, the third of NABC's summertime "gruit" ale series, Strathpeffer heather & honey ale, is now on tap at NABC.

See Tony's artwork for NABC Artemsia, Jenever, the previous "gruit" series releases.

For a listing of where our beers can be found, see NABC outside accounts in Southern Indiana. We're adding a second tap -- probably Elector -- at Stratto's in Clarksville.

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

Here are recently posted articles:

R.I.P., Dave Streckfus.

Orlando: One hell of a package store, Jason.

I'm sprung ... come back later for details.

Soulessness (and stadium pricing) at a JW Marriott somewhere in Florida.

How we operate: Beercycling in Central Europe, 2006.

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.

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.

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?

Jenever Rye ... 80% Simpson's Golden Promise two-row and rye, with crushed juniper berries in the mash and the hopback. Golden orange. Circa 7% 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.

Staples:

Arrogant Bastard

Alpha King

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

Rotating (limited engagement)

Celebrator Doppelbock

Founders Black Rye

Founders Red's Rye

Gulden Draak

Rogue Shakespeare Stout

Schlafly Kolsch

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine

Warsteiner Premium Dunkel

Weihenstephaner Weissbier Dunkel

Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier

Bullpen:

Rogue Chipotle Ale

V. EVENTS, HOURS AND RELATED FACTS.

General business hours:

Sportstime Pizza opens at 11:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Rich O’s opens at 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and at 1:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. We are not open on Sunday except during special events. The same food and beer is available at all times in both rooms, so you may have lunch and a beer in the Sportstime Pizza dining area during those hours when Rich O’s isn’t open. The brewery is available for a look-see if one of us is around and we’re not busy.

Rich O's: The front dining rooms at Rich O's are designated as non-smoking areas. The bar area and Red Room are open for smoking (cigarettes, cigars, pipes). We strongly discourage clove cigarettes, which are divisive even among smokers.

Sportstime: Smoking is permitted in the entirety of Sportstime Pizza.

2006/2007 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.

----

Saturday, August 12

Great Taste of the Midwest in Madison, Wisconsin.

It’s one the top three beer fests in the nation, a perennial box-office sell-out, and certainly the big event with the most relevance to NABC. Web site information is dated, but will be revised later in 2006.

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Saturday, August 19

SWIRCA Craft Brewer's Festival in Evansville, Indiana

The event is at the Casino Aztar, and NABC's participation is tentative owing to the already busy August festival.

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Saturday, August 26

Brew At the (Louisville) Zoo

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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.