Bonus unlisted Gravity Head visitors now include a Better Half. Will there be others?

Already there's been a cameo/bonus/unlisted Gravity Head keg, already come and gone:

Marsha Mallow’s Malted Milk Stout 8% abv ... New Holland Collaboration Brew with City Provisions (Chicago)

Today another unexpected keg was delivered: Founders Curmudgeon's Better Half 11.9% abv

It will join the Founders third weekend wave on Friday, March 9, along with all listed Founders ales and both of Flat12's (Winter Cycle and Vulgar Display of Hops). Other bonus appearances still are expected, but it's too early to predict when they'll go on tap:

Against the Grain Oak-Aged Dilator Doppelbock circa 8% abv
Alltech Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale 8.2% abv

Flat12 Bierwerks Vulgar Display of Hops 9.7% abv

Schlenkerla Eiche (gravity-dispense) 8% abv

Sun King Dominator Doppelbock 8.1% abv
Sun King Isis Imperial IPA circa 9% abv

Three Floyds Topless Witch 9% abv
Three Floyds Stygian Darkness 9% abv

"Welcome Back Sherman Minton Celebration" in downtown NA, this Saturday from 2 - 5 p.m.

LouisvilleBeer.com has the story on Saturday's Welcome Back Sherman Minton Celebration in downtown New Albany. At NABC, we're working on filling in our "blank" with something special, so stay tuned.

Todd Antz from The Keg Liquors, one of this area’s best craft beer stores has put together a cool event THIS SATURDAY from 2-5pm in New Albany to celebrate the re-opening of the I-64 Sherman Minton Bridge. All the local breweries will be there, along with wineries, music, discounted shopping and more going on all day in downtown New Albany.

Keg Liquors New Albany – 302 Pearl St – Cavalier Distributing, Cameron Hughes Wines and Feast BBQ

Dress & Dwell/Colokial Lobby 138 E. Spring St- Bluegrass Brewing Company Clay and Main

White House Lobby – 222 Pearl St – Against the Grain

Jimmy’s Music Center – 123 E. Market – BBC Shelbyville Road

Quills Coffee/Billow – 137 E. Market – Sun King Brewing

New Albanian Bank Street Brewhouse – 415 Bank St. – New Albanian Brewing Company

Schmitt Furniture – 101 E. Main St – St. James Winery

River City Winery – 321 Pearl St – River City Winery

Keg Liquors will also be giving every customer 10% off any purchase they make on Saturday (New Albany location only) Other retailers will be offering discounts as well, making this the perfect day to check out Downtown New Albany.

Gravity Head lineupdates beginning Monday, February 27.

I'll use this posting's URL to update Gravity Head lineup changes through next weekend; on March 4th, There'll be a whole new post devoted to the same objective. The best way to keep track of lineup changes as they happen is at Twitter: @nabcnews


(17) ON TAP NOW, AS OF 11:00 A.M. WEDNESDAY, 2/29/12

13F. RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
Alvinne Podge Belgian Imperial Stout (cask; 2009) 10.5%
Bell's Expedition Stout 10.5%
Stone Imperial Russian Stout (2010) 10.8%

14C IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
Bell’s Hopslam 10%
Mikkeller I Beat yoU 9.75%

15C. WEIZENBOCK
Schneider Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock 12%

19C. AMERICAN BARLEYWINE
Hair of the Dog Fred 10%
Rogue XS Old Crustacean Barley Wine (2009) Circa 11%
Three Floyds Behemoth Blonde Barley Wine 12.5%

21B. CHRISTMAS/WINTER SPECIALTY SPICED BEER
Haandbryggeriet Bestefar 10%

22C. WOOD-AGED BEER
Great Crescent Bourbon’s Barrel Stout 8%
Harviestoun Ola Dubh Old Engine Oil Special Reserve Conditioned in Highland Park 18-Year-Old Scotch Barrels Circa 11%
NABC IX — Ninth Anniversary Ale (2010) 9%

23. SPECIALTY BEER
NABC/O'Fallon/Schlafly C2 Collaboration Ale (2010)(keg) 10.7%
Shmaltz He’Brew Jewbelation Fifteen – 15th Anniversary Ale 15%
Stone Old Guardian Belgo Barley Wine 12%
Two Brothers Bare Tree (2010) 10%

(18) YET TO BE TAPPED

13F RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (2010) 10%
Founders Imperial Stout (2010) 10.5%
Upland Teddy Bear Kisses Russian Imperial Stout 10.2%

14C IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
Flat12 Winter Cycle 9.3%
Founders Double Trouble 9.4%
NABC/De Struise/LBS B’Urban Trotter 9.2%

16E. BELGIAN SPECIALTY ALE
Founders Blushing Monk Founders Brewing Company 9.2%

18C. BELGIAN TRIPEL
NABC Le Diable Blonde (2010) 10.7%

19A. OLD ALE
Founders Curmudgeon Old Ale 9.8%

19C. AMERICAN BARLEYWINE
Founders Nemesis (2010) 12%
Great Divide Old Ruffian Barley Wine 10.2%
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine (2009) 9.6%
Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine (2010) 12%

21A. SPICE, HERB, OR VEGETABLE BEER
Founders Breakfast Stout (2010) 8.3%

22C. WOOD-AGED BEER
BBC (Main and Clay) Bearded Pat’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Barley Wine (2009) 11%
Founders CBS Imperial Stout (Canadian Breakfast) 10.6%
Founders KBS Kentucky Breakfast Stout (2011) 11.2%

23. SPECIALTY BEER
Upland Ard Ri Imperial Red 9.3%

(18) THEY GAVE THEIR ALL … GOODBYE

00. NEW HOLLAND – STYLE UNTO ITSELF
New Holland Barrel Aged Charkoota Rye 8.4%
New Holland Blue Sunday “Gravity Head Sour Blend” 8.7%
New Holland Charkoota Rye 8%
New Holland Dragon’s Milk 10%
New Holland Envious Circa 8%
New Holland Golden Mean 8.1%
New Holland Imperial Hatter 9.4%
New Holland Silent Night 11%

5E. EISBOCK
Kulmbacher Eisbock “Bayerisch G’frorns” (2010) 9.2%

13F. RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
De Molen Cease and Desist (a.k.a. Rasputin, Disputin) 10.7%

16E. BELGIAN SPECIALTY ALE
De Proef Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird) 9%

19C. AMERICAN BARLEYWINE
Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine 15.04%

22C. WOOD-AGED BEER
Left Hand Wake Up Dead (barrel-aged; nitro) 10.20%
NABC Oaktimus 10.7%
North Coast Grand Cru 12.9%

23. SPECIALTY BEER
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron 12%
Hair of the Dog Adam 10%
Sierra Nevada/Dogfish Head Life and Limb (Version 2, 2011) 10.2%

(1) BONUS UNLISTED KEGS BLOWN

New Holland Marsha Mallow’s Malted Milk Stout 8%

Hasty Gravity Head lineupdate for Saturday, February 25.

After tonight, I'll divide the list into "on tap/coming soon/departed," but for now, here's the lineup as it looks at opening at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday the 25th of February.

00. NEW HOLLAND – STYLE UNTO ITSELF
New Holland Barrel Aged Charkoota Rye 8.4%
New Holland Charkoota Rye 8%
New Holland Envious Circa 8%
New Holland Silent Night 11%

5E. EISBOCK
Kulmbacher Eisbock “Bayerisch G’frorns” (2010) 9.2%

13F. RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
Alvinne Podge Belgian Imperial Stout (cask; 2009) 10.5%
De Molen Cease and Desist (a.k.a. Rasputin, Disputin) 10.7%

14C IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
Bell’s Hopslam 10%

16E. BELGIAN SPECIALTY ALE
De Proef Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird) 9% (Fan Vote Winner)

19C. AMERICAN BARLEYWINE
Dogfish Head Olde School Barleywine 15.04%
Hair of the Dog Fred 10%
Rogue XS Old Crustacean Barley Wine (2009) Circa 11%

22C. WOOD-AGED BEER
Left Hand Wake Up Dead (barrel-aged; nitro) 10.20%
NABC IX — Ninth Anniversary Ale (2010) 9%
NABC Oaktimus 10.7%
North Coast Grand Cru 12.9%

23. SPECIALTY BEER
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron 12%
Hair of the Dog Adam 10%
NABC/O'Fallon/Schlafly C2 Collaboration Ale (2010)(keg) 10.7%
Stone Old Guardian Belgo Barley Wine 12%

New Holland's bonus keg: Marsha Mallow’s Malted Milk Stout, on tap now at Gravity Head.

I quickly copied the following from New Holland's web site. We received the keg along with the rest of the shipment, and I wasn't sure if there'd be room for it, but Eric found a way. He also just went home, after being up all night getting the Gravity Head drafts in order.

So far, I've sampled wee bits of Marsha Mallow's, Blue Sunday, and Charkoota (original and rum barrel aged). All are excellent. I recommend doing the two Charkoota brews back to back; you can taste the rum in the barrel-aged version, without the burn, and with the smoke and rye blending seamlessly in the background.

New Holland Collaboration Brew
Marsha Mallow’s Malted Milk Stout 8% abv
Brewed  with City Provisions (Chicago)

Brewed at New Holland Brewing Co. Restaurant and Pub with Chef Cleetus Friedman of City Provisions Delicatessen. Named after the infamous Marsha Mallow, of the NHB staff holiday party, 2012.

Gravity Head 2012: I kinda had this feeling ...

We much appreciate the human tsunami that greeted us this morning at 7:00 a.m., and requisite apologies to everyone for running out of food so quickly. I'm trying to mobilize some kitchen staff to come in and get the regular menu rolling earlier than usual.

The photo above shows the choices, but does not depict the NABC listed drafts, including IX, C2 and Oaktimus.

Happy Gravity Head, folks.

The Gravity Head fan vote winner for 2012 is ... sour!

We have a runaway winner (by a 3-1 margin) in the Gravity Head 2012 vote for the 19th tap:

De Proef Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird)
De Proefbrouwerij
Lochristi-Hijfte BELGIUM
Bitterness: 45 IBUs
Alcohol by volume: 9%


www.sheltonbrothers.com


Gravity Head Twist: It’s called Flemish Primitive for two reasons: Wild yeast, and a school of Flemish painters. Multiple strains of Brettanomyces yeast are used here, and uncharacteristically generous late hop additions.

There was a four-way tie for second place, and 12 beers in all received votes. For the complete list of starters, go here ... and get ready.

The return of Elsa Von Horizon.

Elsa's going into the bottles, and will be on the streets soon.

Gravity Head bonuses from Three Floyds and Flat12.

Previously, I had a few good words to say about the process of Gravity Head foraging.

In recent years, after establishing exactly what we had on hand during Gravity Head and making comprehensive lists and programs, we’ve still welcomed various kegs as “bonus” unlisted surprises -- cameos, as it were.

Here are three more kegs, transiting this way, and unlisted. From our friends on the Hoosier side of Chicagoland ...

Three Floyds Topless Witch (12C Baltic Porter 9%)
Three Floyds Stygian Darkness (18E Belgian Dark Strong Ale 9%)

Eric's working on placing these into the rotation, and they're still a week or two out. Meanwhile, also from Indiana:

Flat12 Bierwerks Vulgar Display of Hops (14C Imperial IPA 9.7%)

We’ll work it into the rotation on March 9, alongside the Founders wave and the other Flat12 selection, Winter Cycle.

All about Gravity Head 2012, at NABC's Pizzeria & Public House.

Follow the links below to get the straight dope about Gravity Head's 14th edition, which kicks off at the Public House on Friday, February 24.

Gravity Head 2012: The starting lineup

Official program: The Daily Gravity Form, in .pdf format

18 Gravity Head starters named -- vote now for the 19th and final opening day selection

The Publican’s Gravity Head Diary: Thoughts on New Holland, Sun King and Founders

Gravity Head bonuses from Three Floyds and Flat12

R.E.M. - "It's the End of the World (As We Know It)"

The New Holland delegation for Gravity Head 2012

18 Gravity Head starters named -- vote now for the 19th and final opening day selection.

Once again, as we prepare for the 14th edition of Gravity Head ("It's the end of the world as we know it") we’re allowing you to vote on the beer that will occupy the 19th tap.

That's right: 19th tap. Eric managed to squeeze in a few more beers than usual.

The starting lineup is here: Gravity Head 2012: The starting lineup.

When making your choice, please remember that the beers listed below are the only ones eligible for selection. The list here has been edited to remove the beers already selected to start, ones already designated to appear on specific dates, and those that remain in transit. For the complete Gravity Form program, go here.

Vote just once, and for just one beer, and submit to your choice to me at this e-mail address: istanbul85(at)yahoo(dot)com. Noon on Thursday, February 23, 2012 is the deadline for voting. I personally comprise the voting commission, and my decisions are final.

Fan Vote Eligibility List for Gravity Head 2011

13F RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
Bell's Expedition Stout 10.5%
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (2010) 10%
Stone Imperial Russian Stout (2010) 10.8%
Upland Teddy Bear Kisses Russian Imperial Stout 10.2%

14C IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
Bell’s Hopslam 10%
Mikkeller I Beat yoU 9.75%
NABC/De Struise/LBS B’Urban Trotter 9.2%

15C. WEIZENBOCK
Schneider Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock 12%

16E. BELGIAN SPECIALTY ALE
De Proef Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird) 9%

18C. BELGIAN TRIPEL
NABC Le Diable Blonde (2010) 10.7%

19C. AMERICAN BARLEYWINE
Great Divide Old Ruffian Barley Wine 10.2%
Hair of the Dog Fred 10%
Rogue XS Old Crustacean Barley Wine (2009) Circa 11%
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine (2009) 9.6%
Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine (2010) 12%
Three Floyds Behemoth Blonde Barley Wine 12.5%

21B. CHRISTMAS/WINTER SPECIALTY SPICED BEER
Haandbryggeriet Bestefar 10%

22C. WOOD-AGED BEER
BBC (Main & Clay) Bearded Pat’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Barley Wine (2009) 11%
Great Crescent Bourbon’s Barrel Stout 8%
Harviestoun Ola Dubh Old Engine Oil Special Reserve Conditioned in Highland Park 18-Year-Old Scotch Barrels Circa 11%

23. SPECIALTY BEER
Hair of the Dog Adam 10%
Shmaltz He’Brew Jewbelation Fifteen – 15th Anniversary Ale 15%
Sierra Nevada/Dogfish Head Life & Limb (Version 2, 2011) 10.2%
Stone Old Guardian Belgo Barley Wine 12%
Two Brothers Bare Tree (2010) 10%