Monday, May 30, 2016

THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: “The Drinker” (A Book Review).

THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: “The Drinker” (A Book Review).

A weekly column by Roger A. Baylor.

A respectable 40-year-old businessman returns home from a normal workday to discover that the maid has neglected to replace the floor mat by the front door.

Annoyed at the omission, he tracks mud into the entryway, is mildly chided by his wife and becomes uncharacteristically angered.

A short time later, he suddenly recalls the existence of a long-forgotten, stale and vinegary bottle of red wine stashed in the cellar. Although a virtual teetotaler, a glass of this rancid wine helps to take the edge off his day, and he feels far better. The floor mat spat now forgotten, he gifts his wife with money to buy herself something special, and goes to bed.

Next thing we know, his permanent residence is an insane asylum.

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For Americans of a certain age, reading Hans Fallada’s novel The Drinker brings to mind the Simpsons episode, wherein a flashback depicts Barney’s very first drink of beer, as offered to him by Homer. With one swallow, the well-groomed and sober young dandy morphs immediately into a swollen, drunken slob, forever destined for dissolution, and hilariously so.

A similar downward trajectory awaits Fallada’s main character, Herr Sommer – and there is little humor to be found in this amazingly detailed and poetically rendered description of a descent into lunacy. However, the story of The Drinker doesn’t end with a gripping, frightening novel, because the circumstances surrounding Fallada’s fictional work hardly were imaginary at the time of its writing.

Hans Fallada’s real name was Rudolf Wilhelm Friedrich Ditzen. He was born in Greifswald, Germany in 1893, and died in Berlin in 1947. In 1944, with World War II still raging throughout the continent, Fallada managed to write The Drinker in two weeks flat while incarcerated … in an insane asylum.

It would have been an incredible feat of concentration anytime and anywhere, much less one undertaken secretively in an institution run by the Nazis, who obviously were unbound by considerations of the Hippocratic oath.

In fact, Fallada’s entire life was not easy. A severe injury to his head during adolescence seemed to have changed him, and it may have led directly to lifelong mental health issues, suicide attempts and drug addiction, and yet, in that strange way sometimes characterizing an artist’s process of creation, Fallada became an exceptionally gifted writer prone to frenetic periods of work activity followed by elongated spirals into madness.

During the 1920s, Fallada married and enjoyed an extended period of domestic harmony and commercial success, including a worldwide readership for his novel, Little Man, What Now? But a collision course with Hitler’s totalitarian regime was inevitable owing to its determination to channel all manifestations of art into approved delineations of support for the regime.

Storm clouds gathered, yet Fallada chose to remain in Germany and did not seek exile, spending the war years walking a tightrope -- neither an overt collaborator, nor seeking involvement with the resistance. From our vantage point these many years later, cohabitation with repression does not seem the ideal path for a writer possessing only a fragile grip on sanity, who already was peering into the abyss with clock-like frequency.

Fallada tried his best to wait it out. Perhaps these pressures hastened his demise, but maybe he was doomed, anyway -- just like the rest of us.

---

Does Fallada’s wartime work as a writer represent acquiescence with the various Goebbels party lines, or was he endeavoring to write in the sparse available spaces between them? The debate persists to this day. Was The Drinker allegorical, suggesting the common man’s struggle to cope with oppression?

Or, was it an autobiographical work so meticulously researched from personal experience that larger themes aren’t really necessary? Of course, it’s up to the reader to decide.

Getting through The Drinker is like watching a cat torture a mouse before killing it. As the pages turn, Herr Sommer’s layers of dysfunction are unsparingly peeled away by the first-person narrative, and the deep-seated rot is unblinkingly exposed. It becomes clear that none of the character’s many difficulties originate with that first drink of spoiled wine; rather, the alcohol merely emboldens them.

It transpires that Sommer already has started losing grip of his business, and is growing apart from his wife, whom he resents for being efficient when he is anything but. The lies and self-deceptions merely require readily available fuel to explode into self-destructive behavior of epic proportions, and bottles of schnapps and cognac typically consumed with the speed that most of us reserve for ice water during a hot afternoon in the garden are ideal for ignition.

When describing the weeks-long binge embarked upon by Sommer, Fallada’s prose is hazy and replete with confusion, self-loathing and false bravado, but when he lands in jail and begins drying out, matters become quite clinical. Eventually transferred to the asylum to receive the “help” he quite clearly needs, the inmate offers a portrait of daily life therein that is detached, detailed and thoroughly horrendous.

By novel’s end, has anyone been saved?

It’s unlikely. There are no Hollywood-style happy endings to The Drinker, a novel that I recommend unreservedly, although not without certain caveats. If you’ve ever wondered whether your most recent drink was one too many, owing not to ordinary intoxication, but to extraordinary curiosity as to whether there might come a point when the altered state persists even after the alcohol’s gone away … well, Fallada’s tale will not be an easy read.

It wasn’t easy for me.

So, is it Happy Hour yet?

---

May 23: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: A few beers on Estonian time (Part Two).

May 16: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: A few beers on Estonian time (Part One).

May 9: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: Hip Hops ... A look at two new New Albany breweries.

May 2: SPRING BREAK

April 26: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: The mouse, the elephant, and a clash of nonpareils ... part two.

April 25: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: The mouse, the elephant, and a clash of nonpareils ... part one.

_

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Roger answers all your questions on the eve of Boomtown, 2016.


The third installment of Boomtown Ball & Festival arrives Sunday, and the overall scheme seems largely unchanged from previous years, apart from the addition of a charitable instrument drive.

Mayor Jeff Gahan Presents Boomtown, etc.

I've gotten several questions about Boomtown, and while I'm no longer actively involved with NABC or the fest's setup (it's been two years since 2014, folks), it's a point of honor for me to be a fair broker of information.

I just can't help myself.

Will Houndmouth (the band) be there?

No, or so I've been told by sources. The band will keep a low profile at Boomtown this year, with the possibility of a heightened presence in 2017. Of course, it doesn't preclude band members turning up, or other surprises.

For those just tuning into all things New Albanian, the inaugural Boomtown Ball & Festival in 2014 was heavily marketed as a celebration of Houndmouth, and the band performed at the Grand on Sunday evening following the fest's conclusion. Last year, the band was bound by various obligations, but "curated" the event's musical acts in conjunction with Production Simple.

Will Houndmouth (the NABC beer) be there?

No, and I apologize for previous suggestions to the contrary. I've been told by brewmaster Josh Hill that Houndmouth has not been brewed, but that NABC's "new red lager" will be available at the Boomtown concessions area. Earlier this week, NABC released a social media tout for Knob Knee New Albany Lager, so perhaps that's the one.

Will there be craft beers at the Boomtown concessions?

Yes.

Donum Dei (two taps; styles not known)
Flat 12 Hinchtown Hammerdown
Flat12 Walkabout Pale Ale
NABC Katie Toupin Knob Knee New Albany Lager
Scarlet Lane (style unknown)

Why aren't local breweries involved at Boomtown?

As you can see above, some are. To properly explain, a history lesson is in order.

In 2014, NABC absorbed the risk, acquired the requisite Indiana ATC permit, and co-oped with other local New Albany-based establishments on a "tavern" area during Boomtown. NABC paid percentages to Production Simple and the Flea Off Market, both of which are based in Louisville.

Frankly, had some of us not pushed the issue, there wouldn't have been local involvement at all, because the city's original plan was to run alcohol sales entirely through these entities. There was no plan to involve locals because ... well, it's never been explained. Perhaps we're not "trendy" enough to be ourselves during an event presumably about ourselves.

In 2015, Boomtown concessions control was handed by the city to Production Simple, which I've heard levied potential beer vendors a "pay to play or the highway" at 50% of sales, right off the top. Matt from Big Four Burgers won't confirm this, but I trust my other sources. If this isn't true, Production simple need only inform me and I'll make the correction.

As an aside, note that Production Simple's monopoly for Boomtown and the summer's Bicentennial Park Summer Concert Series did not come as a result of open bidding.

This year as last, Matt from Big Four Burgers agreed to Production Simple's pay-to-play premium, and I've heard rumblings of discontent, so let's be clear. Had he not undertaken to share the liability risks and potential rewards by being the beer vendor, there'd have been absolutely nothing to stop Production Simple from pouring all AB InBev products -- so long as the price was right.

Do I hear 60 percent? Even higher?

Given the city's bizarre disinterest in localism at Boomtown, it's easy to see that Production Simple would have no compunction eliminating all local participation, with the city's de facto blessing.

Did I mention that Production Simple is the beneficiary of a no-bid contract?

At the same time, just remember: If you were handed a no-bid monopoly on a silver platter, you'd be tempted to do the same. This isn't a Production Simple problem. It's a City Hall problem.

I for one appreciate what Matt's doing, because he's carrying the ball in a tough spot, and walking a tightrope owing to the city's decision to operate Boomtown as a New Albany festival with little to do with New Albany, apart from the street grid upon which it is situated.

Some might say that Matt himself is restricting local participation by limiting beer choices, but given the rules of the game as sanctioned by the city, he's in the position of being compelled to maximize his sales to justify his risk. He's playing by the rules. It's just that the rules are wretched, and that's for City Hall to answer for, and not Matt.

In point of fact, we're probably at the juncture where there are enough interested parties that some form of competitive bidding for concessions is a must. Yes, this implies the possibility of AB InBev buying in, but it also allows for some form of local co-oping to preempt multinational domination. It cannot occur unless everything is out in the open, in full light of day -- and it needs to apply to all the city's alleged "public-private partnerships," doesn't it?

Thanks for asking. I love questions like this.

Roger, will you be there?

Yes, I will be on hand to answer questions about New Albany Craft Beer Week (May 29 - June 4) and Indie Fest 2016 (September 24). Look for me in a camp chair somewhere near Thrasher's Art Store -- cigar probably in hand, but no, still no booze for me, as I'm concluding an antibiotics regimen for a sinus infection.

Beginning next Tuesday, it's another story.

Friday, May 27, 2016

Bud Light Lime in Louisville, but in Cleveland, "Progressive Field keeps turning into a cavernous culinary and craft-beer mecca."



There was a time when each new season of Triple A baseball at Louisville Slugger Field would inspire me to dizzying heights of venom, as I'd delightedly denounce Bats management for its enduring white-bread Philistinism in a world -- in a city -- filled with genuine choice.

I can no longer muster the enthusiasm. We didn't attend a game last year, and this year isn't looking much better. It's a beautiful facility built with public money that actively practices anti-localism in concessions, and it simply no longer interests me to hand my money to people who have so little understanding of the working world I inhabited for a quarter-century.

In August, we'll be in Cleveland, Ohio. There's an Indians game that night, and while it's an apples-to-oranges comparison, it's clear the Indians "get it" in a way the Bats have never shown. It's evident that we'd be compelled to remove and rewrite genetic code for this to change.

Now, if someone were to give me tickets to a Bats game ...


Progressive Field adds Fat Head's, The Brew Kettle, Momocho, Dante Boccuzzi pizza, by Marc Bona (Cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Progressive Field keeps turning into a cavernous culinary and craft-beer mecca: The Cleveland Indians on Tuesday announced the additions of Dante Boccuzzi pizza and Momocho restaurants along with beers and food from Fat Head's and The Brew Kettle. And Great Lakes Brewing Co. – which began offering food last year – will have an added beer garden.

No matter where fans sit in the stadium, they will be close to a variety of food and drink options that go well beyond a simple hot dog and traditional lager.

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Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Hugh E. Bir's to celebrate 50 years at the ORIGINAL 4th Street Live on Sunday, June 5.

New Albany Craft Beer Week ends on June 4, and Hugh E. Bir Cafe might not fit everyone's definition of craft beer, but that's irrelevant, because we'd be remiss by failing to mention that on Sunday, June 5, the bar will celebrate its 50th birthday.

It's a milestone, and if you're down that way, help them celebrate.


Enough said.

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New Albany Craft Beer Week Calendar, 2016

Sunday, May 29
Boomtown Ball & Festival
A New Albanian Brewing Company beer and others will be available for purchase.

Tuesday, May 31
Beer dinner at Gospel Bird with Falls City Beer (details TBA)

Wednesday, June 1
Surf & Turf Tap Takeover (Sierra Nevada and The Exchange)

Thursday, June 2
Monty PINT-thon Night at Floyd County Brewing Company

Thursday, June 2
Gospel Bird Welcomes Sun King Brewing Company 

Saturday, June 4
Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
100+ Breweries, 7 Craft Beer Distributors, 8 Fine Wine Distributors, over 250 craft and import beers, wine, food, charity raffle and more.

Saturday, June 4
The official Keg Liquors Fest of Ale after party will take place at The Exchange pub + kitchen.

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Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Sun King special tapping (and can) at Gospel Bird on Thursday, June 2.


Gospel Bird (Main Street) is teaming with Sun King Brewing Company to add a second event to the lineup for New Albany Craft Beer Week.


When Gospel Bird opens for dinner service at 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 2, Sun King's representative Julius Gagne will be on hand to give away an undisclosed number of Fest of Ale tickets and tap three Sun King drafts. Also, a special selection from the Sun King seasonal series will be available in cans.

Here they are:

ON TAP

Sunlight Cream Ale
ABV: 5.3% IBU: 20
Sunlight Cream Ale celebrates American brewing tradition by balancing smooth malt complexity with a crisp, clean finish. Sunlight was the winner of the Gold Medal in the Golden or Blonde Ale category at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival®, and the Silver Medal at the 2010 World Beer Cup in the Golden or Blonde Ale category.

Fistful Of Hops "Green" Seasonal IPA
ABV: 6.4% IBU: 75
Fistful of Hops is our quarterly IPA series, where we balance an ever-changing "Fistful of Hops" - a new variety for every season - against a consistent malt base. Our Spring 2016 release features Centennial, Mosaic, and El Dorado hops, for balanced citrus and tropical fruit flavor.

Hot Rod Lincoln Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout (King's Reserve Series)
ABV: 10.0%
IBU: 70
Hot Rod Lincoln integrates the gingerbread and dark brown sugar flavors of our Timmie Russian-Style Imperial Stout with flavors of tart cherry, dark chocolate, and oak.

AND CANS OF

Alrye'd Alrye'd Alrye'd Imperial Session Rye IPA
ABV: 6.5% IBU: 64
Alrye'd Alrye'd Alrye'd is a Rye IPA brewed with Crystal hops from Michigan for a pronounced dankness, citrusy bright character, and an agreeable spiciness that plays well with its rye malt base.

About Sun King Brewing Company:


Sun King Brewing Company is an Indianapolis-based craft brewery with a focus on continually creating traditional seasonal and unique specialty beer. Sun King rolled our first keg of beer out of the door in July 2009 and since that time has grown into one of Indiana’s largest and most award-winning breweries, with multiple medals at the Great American Beer Festival® and the World Beer Cup®.

Sun King remains dedicated to Fresh • Local • Beer through exclusively Indiana based distribution and continued growth, with a commitment to community development throughout the state.

Sun King beer can be enjoyed at over 1,000 fine bars/restaurants and liquor stores throughout Indiana, at our downtown brewery at 135 N. College Ave. Indianapolis, or at our Small Batch Brewery and Tasting Room at 7848 E. 96th Street in Fishers, Indiana.


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New Albany Craft Beer Week Calendar, 2016

Sunday, May 29
Boomtown Ball & Festival
A New Albanian Brewing Company beer and others will be available for purchase.

Tuesday, May 31
Beer dinner at Gospel Bird with Falls City Beer (details TBA)

Wednesday, June 1
Surf & Turf Tap Takeover (Sierra Nevada and The Exchange)

Thursday, June 2
Monty PINT-thon Night at Floyd County Brewing Company

Thursday, June 2
Gospel Bird Welcomes Sun King Brewing Company 

Saturday, June 4
Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
100+ Breweries, 7 Craft Beer Distributors, 8 Fine Wine Distributors, over 250 craft and import beers, wine, food, charity raffle and more.

Saturday, June 4
The official Keg Liquors Fest of Ale after party will take place at The Exchange pub + kitchen.


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Monday, May 23, 2016

THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: A few beers on Estonian time (Part Two).

THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: A few beers on Estonian time (Part Two).

A weekly column by Roger A. Baylor.

Cancun?

Disney World?

Hawaii?

Always tempting for some, but they makes no sense to me. Our choice for Spring Break 2016 was Tallinn, the capital of Estonia and a historic Baltic port city on the Gulf of Finland.

THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: A few beers on Estonian time (Part One).

The Finnish and Estonian languages are related, and the curious thing about them is that words like Nokia and Saku sound Korean or Japanese to American ears, although these are a Finnish communications company and an Estonian brewer, respectively.

My first cell phone was a Nokia, and I got it in 2002. This was only a few years after Saku Brewing Company’s beers became sporadically available stateside.

It seems that in the beginning of the post-communist era, all sorts of formerly remote beer brands were shipped to places like Chicago, which historically was home to many Eastern European immigrants.

Occasionally these beers would dip into Northern Indiana and trickle south, and this pleased me to no end. Subject to ever-shifting availability, I stocked many of them at the Public House, including 16.9 oz bottles of Saku Porter.

Today Saku Brewing Company is owned by Carlsberg, and is brewed near Tallinn. The brewery traces its lineage to 1820 and a modest baronial estate’s brewhouse.

Saku Originaal, the brewery’s modern flagship golden lager, has been brewed only since 1993, and perhaps this owes to the brewery’s trials and travails during Estonia’s half-century within the Soviet Union, where quality wasn’t always prioritized.

Saku Originaal is perfectly adequate, though I personally prefer the Premium from A. Le Coq, Saku’s domestic competitor. Better still is Saku Tume, a dark lager somewhat in the Dunkel range. It was lip-smacking delicious with an appetizer of herring that was fried, then marinated.

Saku Tume with herring.

Admittedly, I wasn’t looking very hard for Saku Porter, which appears on the beer list at Põrgu Brasserie (below). Saku’s website refers to Porter as a “traditional Christmas beer,” and by doing so, it annoys me with the implication that “heavier” beer is suitable only in the coldest times.

Not necessarily true. On a very brief previous visit to Tallinn in 1999 with my friend Barrie, we easily found Saku Porter on draft at an eatery in the Old Town and drank several pints on the patio – in warm June weather, no less.

Of course, this was 17 years ago, and comparing Estonia then and now probably isn’t a particularly valid exercise.

Baltic Porter is a nebulous style that touches on several brewing traditions. It sometimes can be considered as an appellation of origin, but not always. In Michael “Beer Hunter” Jackson’s World Guide to Beer, he mentions a “Porter” still being brewed in the 1970s in what is now Slovakia, quite far away from the Baltic Sea.

And, the New Albanian Brewing Company’s first batch of Solidarity was brewed in 2005 within walking distance of water, albeit the Ohio River.

The Beer Judge Certification Program description for Baltic Porter indicates that top-fermented English-style Porters and strong Stouts may well have been the original impetus for dark beers brewed in places like Estonia, but German lager brewing techniques supplanted ale-making long ago, with results that eventually came to vary from place to place.

In my world, a style that is Foreign Extra Stout one time and Doppelbock the next suggests considerable tasting adventure. Accordingly, for a brief time in 2006 the Public House’s Baltic Porter list was nonpareil.


  • Alderis Porteris (Latvia)
  • Baltika 6 (Russia)
  • Utenos Porter (Lithuania)
  • Obolon Porter (Ukraine)
  • Okocim Porter (Poland)
  • Sinebrychoff Porter (Finland – an ale)


At the time, three beers we’d carried previously were unavailable.


  • Saku Porter (Estonia)
  • Dojlidy Porter (Poland)
  • Zwiec Porter (Poland)


Since I drank most of these Baltic Porters myself, they were early examples of what came to be known as “pay packets,” as were the pizzas consumed alongside them. Small wonder the scales tipped at 275 lbs. back then.

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Prior to our stay in Estonia, sparse Internet research revealed that the country is in the midst of a craft beer revolution.

Ten years ago, this knowledge would have compelled me to construct byzantine plots -- trips to other locales, special tastings, or one of those “all 10 must-visit Tallinn breweries and beer bars in one day, on foot” bacchanals that have combined over the years to erode my short term memory.

Now, my attitude has changed, and consequently, the beer hunting strategy for Tallinn was no strategy at all. There’d be enough good beers in the city to fill portions of six days, as well as a few nice places to drink them without relying on a crowd-sourced ratings aggregator to shape the itinerary.

And so it was, although in one glaring instance, it might have helped to check the crowd-sourced ratings aggregator first.

During our second night at Põrgu Brasserie, I spotted these hybrid words on the beer list and decided to try one: Saaremäe Pihtla Ölu (Koduõlu Farm Ale).

Out came a Belgian-style glass filled with under-carbonated, golden-orange liquid, circa 7.6% abv, with an rustic, earthy flavor and slightly phenolic overtones. Juniper? It was decidedly different, and as my mouth kept telling me it bore a resemblance to the Sahti we once enjoyed in Finland, my brain said no, “farm” always means Belgian Farmhouse Saison.

Not in this instance, it doesn’t. Had I known what Koduõlu means, all of this would have made more sense, so take it away, crowd-sourced ratings aggregator (specifically, Rate Beer).


Sahti/Gotlandsdricke/Koduõlu

A traditional ale style unique to three areas: Finland, the Swedish island of Gotland and the Estonian island of Saaremäe. There are subtle differences between them and also between sahti from different regions in Finland. In general however these are strong ales made with a combination of rye and barley malt. They have minimal hop character and instead receive most of their flavor by virtue of being filtered through juniper twigs. Most examples will exhibit a strong yeast character and many homebrewed traditional examples are made with baking yeast. Such yeast often generates a highly phenolic character as well. Some examples will also have a smoky character and this is particularly evident in gotlandsdricke.


Imagine that; not only farms, but farms on a single island. Estonia’s larger breweries already imitate Koduõlu, so there it is.

At 1,000 square miles, Saaremäe Island is the largest in what is called the West Estonian Archipelago, which is comprised of 500 islands located to the southwest of Tallinn, north of the city of Riga in neighboring Latvia.

During much of the Soviet period, access to Saaremäe was restricted for military reasons, and in terms of traditional brewing, isolation can be the perfect condition for retaining artisanal attitudes.

Sadly, in 2016 it would not have helped to know that a farm brewing culture exists on the island of Saaremäe, as we had no plans to leave Tallinn apart from a day trip via ferry to Helsinki. It will be a much different story next time, assuming there is a next time.

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My prized, obscure white whale of a Koduõlu was consumed at Põrgu Brasserie, a first-rate cellar beer bar with a name (“hell” or “hades”) that lends itself to wicked analogies. There’s an outstanding beer list (15 taps and 100+ bottles) heavy on Estonian craft, but with international selections, too.

Perusing the bottle list, with Koduõlu.

A la carte snacks and entrees are reasonably priced, making Põrgu an excellent choice for a beer lover’s dinner. Menu items range from anchovy sandwiches, steak tartare and herring salad to filet mignon, duck and pork chops. Diana especially enjoyed the appetizer-sized portions of pork ribs.

Põrgu is conveniently located in the Old Town at the foot of Toompea hill, and for me it was love at first sight, reminiscent of other classic beer bars I’ve visited, such as ‘t Brugs Beertje, Estaminet Het Kasteelhof and ‘t Arendsnest.

For the record, my beers at Põrgu were Öllenaut Suitsu (Smoked) Porter, Põhjala Pime Öӧ (Barrel Aged Imperial Stout), Saaremäe Pihtla Ölu (Koduõlu Farm Ale),and Sori Winter Gorilla Baltic Porter.

It adds up to four different styles, four breweries, four excellent choices, a compact introduction to Estonian craft brewing, and the finest barrel-aged Imperial Stout I’ve had in a while.

Kudos to the emerging Estonian movement. May your revolution remain in your own hands.

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Another establishment we richly enjoyed was Hell Hunt, meaning “gentle wolf.” At 23 years of age, this pub is a veritable old-timer in Estonian terms; recall that at its inception, while Estonia had successfully regained its independence, not all the Soviet troops stationed there had yet to depart.

Hell Hunt is situated in the Old Town, just a few blocks north of the tourist epicenter. We entered on Saturday afternoon and found a festive atmosphere, with the NBA playoffs (and soccer) on the big screen, and friendly service.

House beers at Hell Hunt are brewed (or relabeled) by Viru Brewing Company, Estonia’s third “big” brewery. Viru was founded in 1975 in Haljala, to the east of Tallinn, and since 1992 has been owned by Harboe of Denmark. The brewery’s standard golden lager flagship is called Puls, while the beer called Viru is brewed by A. Le Coq.

Why ask why? I drank neither of them. My draft choices were Hell Hunt’s house Ale and Tume (Dunkel), with fried Russian dumplings for munching. Diana had a Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen. The Miami Heat won the game.

We missed some of the other recommended beer bars around Tallinn, and it’s all right. What we had was enough. Estonia was a revelation, and I hope we return.

Back home, I find myself ruminating about past experiences in the former USSR and East Bloc. It leads me to wonder: Where were Tallinn’s “local” pubs in the 1980s? There’d have been the usual cafeterias and hotel bars, but what were the equivalents of the Czech pivnice or piwiarni in Poland? Do any remain?

It no longer matters, and yet I’m curious.

More Estonian time may be required to come to an answer.

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May 16: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: A few beers on Estonian time (Part One).

May 9: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: Hip Hops ... A look at two new New Albany breweries.

May 2: SPRING BREAK

April 26: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: The mouse, the elephant, and a clash of nonpareils ... part two.

April 25: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: The mouse, the elephant, and a clash of nonpareils ... part one.

April 18: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: Euro ’85, Part 33 … All good things must come to a beginning.

_

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Boomtown Ball & Festival returns.


First, an event preview. Boomtown Ball & Festival kicks off New Albany Craft Beer Week on Sunday, May 29.

Boomtown Returns on May 29th!

"We’re very excited about our third year hosting the Boomtown Ball & Festival," stated Mayor Jeff M. Gahan. "One new addition to the festival this year will be the Classical 90.5 Instrument Drive for New Albany-Floyd County schools. The Instrument Drive is a great way to expose young kids in our community to the wonderful world of art and music. I want to invite everyone to come help us kick-off the summer event season in New Albany."

This event will be held on Market St. in downtown New Albany on Sunday, May 29th. The City of New Albany has again enlisted the support of Flea Off Market to assist with the booth component of the festival. Flea Off Market is a unique outdoor bazaar that will feature both regional and local New Albany vendors offering records, books, antiques, vintage items, fine arts & crafts, and more!

Food and drink will be vended within the Boomtown enclosure, and of course many downtown New Albany establishments will be open on Sunday, May 29 -- before, during and after the

Boomtown is synonymous with Houndmouth. During the first two Boomtown Ball festivals, the band was involved.

In 2014, the band played a special show  at The Grand.

Houndmouth brings it on home for the Boomtown Ball

In 2015, Houndmouth curated the performers.

BAND BUZZ: Houndmouth to present encore Boomtown Ball & Festival in New Albany

We're told that while the band won't have a direct part in this year's Boomtown Ball, there may be another encore in 2017. Only time will tell.

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New Albany Craft Beer Week Calendar, 2016

Sunday, May 29
Boomtown Ball & Festival
New Albanian Brewing Company and other beers will be available for purchase.

Tuesday, May 31
Beer dinner at Gospel Bird with Falls City Beer (details TBA)

Wednesday, June 1
Surf & Turf Tap Takeover (Sierra Nevada and The Exchange)

Thursday, June 2
Monty PINT-thon Night at Floyd County Brewing Company

Saturday, June 4
Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
100+ Breweries, 7 Craft Beer Distributors, 8 Fine Wine Distributors, over 250 craft and import beers, wine, food, charity raffle and more.

Saturday, June 4
The official Keg Liquors Fest of Ale after party will take place at The Exchange pub + kitchen.


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1st notice: Fall City/Gospel Bird beer dinner will be on Tuesday, May 31.



There are no details yet, but we expect to hear more next week. It's happening, so put it on the calendar, and you'll know more when we do.

Falls City Beer: "In 1905 a group of bartenders and grocery store owners had had enough with being forced to buy, serve, and sell beer produced by a local beer monopoly. So they got together and created Falls City Beer. At that moment of rebellion and independence, Louisville’s first craft beer was born. Falls City Beer is once again, regionally, leading the way with a variety of well-balanced, highly-drinkable, and innovative craft beers that include traditional styles, bold new flavors and non-traditional ingredients."

Gospel Bird: "Gospel Bird is a full-service restaurant in southern Indiana focusing on the cuisine of the south and regional flavors." Read the Courier-Journal review:

"Gospel Bird’s chicken is a don’t-miss, can’t-go-wrong choice, but on our visit there were no wrong turn choices. Now and then, biting into the fried chicken will spurt juices that dribble down your chin. Dab with a napkin or forget your manners just long enough to relish the unfancy-schmancy, well-seasoned, crispy fried chicken. Pair it with a side of flavor-walloped chorizo baked beans."

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New Albany Craft Beer Week Calendar, 2016

Sunday, May 29
Boomtown Ball & Festival
New Albanian Brewing Company’s Houndmouth Ale will be available for purchase.

Tuesday, May 31
Beer dinner at Gospel Bird with Falls City Beer (details TBA)

Wednesday, June 1
Surf & Turf Tap Takeover (Sierra Nevada and The Exchange)

Thursday, June 2
Monty PINT-thon Night at Floyd County Brewing Company

Saturday, June 4
Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
100+ Breweries, 7 Craft Beer Distributors, 8 Fine Wine Distributors, over 250 craft and import beers, wine, food, charity raffle and more.

Saturday, June 4
The official Keg Liquors Fest of Ale after party will take place at The Exchange pub + kitchen.


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Friday, May 20, 2016

12 packs of Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp Across America beers are now available at both Keg Liquors locations.



Yesterday we learned that on Wednesday, June 1, The Exchange pub + kitchen will be teaming with Sierra Nevada Brewing Company for a Surf & Turf Tap Takeover.

It's all part of New Albany Craft Beer Week, recognizing the great things that happen when America's craft beer scene meets New Albany's independent restaurants and bars.

What's most intriguing about the Surf & Turf Tap Takeover is the opportunity to enjoy draft versions of six Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across America collaboration beers. 

We partnered with 6 regional brewing teams to create an incredible collaboration: 31 brewers together making 6 different beers for a one-time-only variety pack.

BCAA Family Values Imperial Brown Ale with Cocoa
BCAA West Latitude Session Rye with Hibiscus
BCAA Stout of the Union Robust Stout
BCAA Moxee-Moron Imperial Session IPA
BCAA Sweet Sunny South Southern Table Beer
BCAA Pat-Rye-Ot Revolutionary Pale Ale

As of 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 19, both locations of Keg Liquors have these variety packs in stock (12 x 12oz bottles; two each of six styles).

Supplies are limited, so if you want to get a sneak preview, now's the time ... and don't forget that the 11th Annual Keg Liquors Fest of Ale takes place in New Albany on Saturday, June 4.

Keg Liquors (New Albany)
4304 Charlestown Road
New Albany, IN 47150
Telephone: 812.948.0444

Hours of Operation:
Monday - Thursday 10am to 10PM
Friday - Saturday 10am to 11PM
Closed on Sunday

Keg Liquors (Clarksville)
617 East Lewis and Clark Pkwy
Clarksville, IN 47129
Telephone: 812.283.3988

Hours of Operation:
Monday - Thursday 9:30 AM to Midnight
Friday - Saturday 9:30 AM to 1AM
Closed on Sunday

About The Keg
Keg Liquors has been family owned and operated by two generations and has been serving the Kentuckiana area since 1970.

Our focus is on specialty items, such as craft and imported beers, boutique wines, specialty liquors. We are not a big box store, nor do we pretend to be. What we can offer you are honest pricing, great service and knowledge you just won't find in most other places.

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New Albany Craft Beer Week Calendar, 2016

Sunday, May 29
Boomtown Ball & Festival
New Albanian Brewing Company’s Houndmouth Ale will be available for purchase.

Tuesday, May 31
Beer dinner at Gospel Bird with Falls City Beer (details TBA)

Wednesday, June 1
Surf & Turf Tap Takeover (Sierra Nevada and The Exchange)

Thursday, June 2
Monty PINT-thon Night at Floyd County Brewing Company

Saturday, June 4
Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
100+ Breweries, 7 Craft Beer Distributors, 8 Fine Wine Distributors, over 250 craft and import beers, wine, food, charity raffle and more.

Saturday, June 4
The official Keg Liquors Fest of Ale after party will take place at The Exchange pub + kitchen.


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Thursday, May 19, 2016

The Exchange's Surf & Turf Tap Takeover with Sierra Nevada on Wednesday, June 1.

On Wednesday, June 1, The Exchange pub + kitchen will be teaming with Sierra Nevada Brewing Company for a Surf & Turf Tap Takeover.

It's all part of New Albany Craft Beer Week, recognizing the great things that happen when America's craft beer scene meets New Albany's independent restaurants and bars.

Housed in a historic Italianate style building constructed in 1875, The Exchange pub + kitchen is owner Ian Hall’s take on a warm and casual neighborhood gastropub, with rotating seasonal menus sourced locally and an innovative bar program.

Since 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company has been in the forefront of the American, craft beer revolution. Now brewing at locations in both California and North Carolina, Sierra Nevada is the 7th-largest brewing company in the United States, and remains fully independent.


There'll be ten Sierra Nevada  beers pouring at The Exchange pub + kitchen on June 1, with a chance to taste selections from the Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across America collaboration series.

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Across America is a celebration, a collaboration and a fine excuse to hold festivals across the country in 2016. There are sampler packs of the six BCAA collaboration beers in bottles, but The Exchange will have them on tap.

BCAA Family Values Imperial Brown Ale with Cocoa
BCAA West Latitude Session Rye with Hibiscus
BCAA Stout of the Union Robust Stout
BCAA Moxee-Moron Imperial Session IPA
BCAA Sweet Sunny South Southern Table Beer
BCAA Pat-Rye-Ot Revolutionary Pale Ale

In addition, there'll be four other Sierra Nevada draft favorites pouring.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Sierra Nevada Otra Vez (Gose)
Sierra Nevada Nooner Pilsner
Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Narwhal Imperial Stout

Chef Matt Weirich and his culinary team at The Exchange will be featuring evening dining specials for pairing with these Sierra Nevada beers, including:

Surf
Soft Shell Crab with Fried Prosciutto, Avocado Mousse, Cayenne Cream, Crostini

Turf
Pork Tenderloin, Braised Rhubarb, Goat Cheese Stuffed Squash Blossom

Sweet
Key Lime Mousse, Graham, Raspberry

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New Albany Craft Beer Week Calendar, 2016

Sunday, May 29
Boomtown Ball & Festival
New Albanian Brewing Company’s Houndmouth Ale will be available for purchase.

Tuesday, May 31
Beer dinner at Gospel Bird with Falls City Beer (details TBA)

Wednesday, June 1
Surf & Turf Tap Takeover (Sierra Nevada and The Exchange)

Thursday, June 2
Monty PINT-thon Night at Floyd County Brewing Company

Saturday, June 4
Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
100+ Breweries, 7 Craft Beer Distributors, 8 Fine Wine Distributors, over 250 craft and import beers, wine, food, charity raffle and more.

Saturday, June 4
The official Keg Liquors Fest of Ale after party will take place at The Exchange pub + kitchen.

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Wednesday, May 18, 2016

New Albany bests the per capita average of Americans-to-their-breweries.


Last September, the Brewers Association revealed an important milestone: 4,000 active breweries, reckoned to be the first time there have been 4,000 breweries in America since just after the Civil War.


U.S. PASSES 4,000 BREWERIES, by Bart Watson (Brewers Association; published on September 28, 2015)

 ... What it does not mean is that we’ve reached a saturation point. Most of the new entrants continue to be small and local, operating in neighborhoods or towns. What it means to be a brewery is shifting, back toward an era when breweries were largely local, and operated as a neighborhood bar or restaurant.

How many neighborhoods in the country could still stand to gain from a high-quality brewpub or micro taproom? While a return to the per capita ratio of 1873 seems unlikely (that would mean more than 30,000 breweries), the resurgence of American brewing is far from over.


Unlikely? Heck, we can do that.

In 1873, the US population was around 43,000,000. That same year, the number of American breweries was 4,131, with the per capita ratio being one brewery for every 10,400 Americans.

Rounding off New Albany's 2016 population at 37,000 and dividing by three (NABC, Donum Dei and Floyd County Brewing), we find our city's current ratio at one brewery for every 12,333 inhabitants -- quite close to the 1873 numbers.

However, if we allow for the stand-alone brewery at each NABC location, the ratio changes to one actual brewing system for every 9,288 citizens.

Boom.

See how far we've come? New Albany has gone all the way back to 1873 and beyond, in a very positive way, so as the pundits say: Support your local brewer.

NABC has been in business for a while, but Donum Dei and Floyd County Brewing are relatively new. Check 'em out during New Albany Craft Beer Week.

3211 Grant Line Road,
New Albany, IN 47150
(502) 541-2950
www.donumdeibrewery.com
129 West Main Street,
New Albany, IN 47150
(470) 588-2337
www.floydcountybrewing.com

415 Bank Street,
New Albany, IN 47150
(812) 944-2577
www.newalbanian.com

3312 Plaza Drive,
New Albany, IN 47150
(812) 944-2577
www.newalbanian.com

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New Albany Craft Beer Week: It's a celebration of small, independent and traditional in brewing, and the community.


New Albany Craft Beer Week: It's a celebration of small, independent and traditional in brewing, and the community.

In recent years, New Albany’s new generation of food and drink establishments has played a major role in putting the “boom” back into our town.

So, earlier in the year when Keg Liquors announced it would be relocating its popular Fest of Ale to New Albany’s Riverfront Amphitheater on Saturday, June 4, it offered the perfect opportunity to celebrate the continuing rise of craft beer in New Albany.

After all, Keg Liquors is the top-rated bottle shop for beer in the whole the state of Indiana, according to RateBeer.

And, craft beer has come to be a staple offering at the majority of New Albany’s food and drink establishments.

Accordingly, the New Albany Restaurant and Bar Association (NARBA) is delighted to announce a new promotion aimed at reinforcing the economic, cultural and flavorful contributions of America’s craft brewers.

It’s New Albany Craft Beer Week, running from Sunday, May 29 through Saturday, June 4.

Many such beer weeks are honored in America. They vary in size and scope, and range across districts, cities and states, but there is relative uniformity in the concept.

The idea is to educate and disseminate craft beer consciousness, with an ulterior motive of letting consumers know more about places that serve it, and the people who make it all possible.

Anchoring New Albany Craft Beer Week on either side is the city of New Albany’s Boomtown Ball & Festival on Sunday, May 29, and Keg Liquors Fest of Ale on Saturday, June 4.

New Albany’s independent restaurants and pubs are encouraged to schedule tastings, beer dinners and special releases during the period of May 29 through June 4.

Known events at press time are listed below; others will appear as they’re announced on the New Albany Craft Beer Week blog: http://nacraftbeerweek.blogspot.com/

For some craft beer background, according to the Brewers Association, “An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional.”


  • Craft brewers are small brewers.
  • The hallmark of craft beer and craft brewers is innovation. Craft brewers interpret historic styles with unique twists and develop new styles that have no precedent.
  • Craft beer is generally made with traditional ingredients like malted barley; interesting and sometimes non-traditional ingredients are often added for distinctiveness.
  • Craft brewers tend to be very involved in their communities through philanthropy, product donations, volunteerism and sponsorship of events.
  • Craft brewers have distinctive, individualistic approaches to connecting with their customers.
  • Craft brewers maintain integrity by what they brew and their general independence, free from a substantial interest by a non-craft brewer.
  • The majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a craft brewer.


With three operational brewing companies (Donum Dei Brewery, Floyd County Brewing and the New Albanian Brewing Company), New Albany now has more breweries than at any time since 1907 – and not to forget our friends at River City Winery, one of Indiana’s few urban wineries.

Throughout New Albany, and especially downtown, great craft beer selections have become the norm. Eateries like Big Four Burgers, Dragon King’s Daughter, The Exchange and Feast BBQ (to name just four) always have ample craft beer selections drawn from Indiana (120+ breweries), Kentucky (21+) and America (4,000) as a whole.

New Albany’s new generation of restaurants and bars is independent, unique and locally focused. Not coincidentally, these are the characteristics that define America’s craft beer revolution.

Come down, have some fun – and always remember to drink responsibly.

Cheers!

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New Albany Craft Beer Week Calendar, 2016 (Revised 05/21/2016)

Sunday, May 29
Boomtown Ball & Festival
New Albanian Brewing Company’s Houndmouth Ale will be available for purchase.

Tuesday, May 31
Beer dinner at Gospel Bird with Falls City Beer (details TBA)

Wednesday, June 1
Surf & Turf Tap Takeover (Sierra Nevada and The Exchange)

Thursday, June 2
Monty PINT-thon Night at Floyd County Brewing Company

Saturday, June 4
Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
100+ Breweries, 7 Craft Beer Distributors, 8 Fine Wine Distributors, over 250 craft and import beers, wine, food, charity raffle and more.

Saturday, June 4
The official Keg Liquors Fest of Ale after party will take place at The Exchange pub + kitchen.

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Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Read about Goodwood Brewing and Ballotin Whiskey in the current issue of Food and Dining Magazine.


The latest issue of Food & Dining is on the street, as I speak. Click through to the preview and compendium of articles, then follow the links to issuu.


Food & Dining -- Summer 2016, Vol. 52 (May/June/July) 

I have two bylines in the current edition.

Hip Hops: Goodwood Brewing Co. — Goodwood Brewing Co. stakes its future on barrel-aged and wood-seasoned craft beers — without splinters.

Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey — Roger Baylor learns that the basis for four chocolate-flavored whiskeys is a spectrum of natural whiskey flavors.

Both assignments were a blast, especially when bartender extraordinaire Stephen Dennison introduced me to Ballotin -- though any chance to enjoy a Goodwood Louisville Lager is appreciated, too.

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Monday, May 16, 2016

THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: A few beers on Estonian time (Part One).

THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: A few beers on Estonian time (Part One).

A weekly column by Roger A. Baylor.


I hope one day when I say I'm from Estonia, people don't say: 'What? Where's that?'
-- Carmen Kass, model and famous Estonian

For spring break, we decided to spend a week in Tallinn, Estonia. The Lonely Planet travel guide provides an introduction.


Estonia doesn’t have to struggle to find a point of difference: it’s completely unique. It shares a similar geography and history with Latvia and Lithuania, but culturally it’s distinct. Its closest ethnic and linguistic buddy is Finland, and although they may love to get naked together in the sauna, 50 years of Soviet rule in Estonia have separated the two. For the last 300 years Estonia’s been linked to Russia, but the two states have as much in common as a barn swallow and a bear (their respective national symbols).

With a newfound confidence, singular Estonia has crept from under the Soviet blanket and leapt into the arms of Europe. The love affair is mutual. Europe has fallen head-over-heels for the charms of Tallinn and its Unesco-protected Old Town. Put simply, Tallinn is now one of the continent’s most captivating cities. And in overcrowded Europe, Estonia’s sparsely populated countryside and extensive swathes of forest provide spiritual sustenance for nature-lovers.


Much to Carmen Kass’s disappointment, the Louisville metro area is not a bastion of Estonian name recognition, and while I’ve long since become accustomed to puzzled looks when announcing holiday destinations, mentions of Estonia have furrowed more than the usual brows.

Yet Estonia is everything I crave in a European nation. It is obscure and mysterious, with an impenetrable language and an inspiring back story. It’s wonderfully Baltic, with an adjacent ocean and plenty of delectable herrings. There is blood sausage, bear meat dumplings, head cheese and dense, nutty pumpernickel bread.

Granted, we didn’t venture past Tallinn, a former Hanseatic League port known for centuries as Reval, but there is plenty of interest there to occupy six days of wandering between drinks and snacks.

(Elsewhere, I’ve recorded the travelogue)

For 5,000 years, Estonians have lived in these lands by the sea, although as a nation, Estonia has been independent only a scant 45 of them (1920-1940, then 1991 to the present).

Regional overlords have included Swedes, Danes, Teutonic Knights, Germans and Russians. The Alexander Nevsky cathedral's prominent position on the Toompea ridge in Tallinn’s Old Town is a constant reminder that Russians were a part of Estonia's history even before Communism. In the present time, almost 40% of Tallinn's population is Russian, many of them relocated during the postwar Soviet era.

Interestingly, Reval historically was regarded as a German city owing to the mercantile and commercial dominance of ethnic Germans, even when the Russian Tsar ruled the realm and native Estonians were little better than downtrodden laborers in their own country.

Truly, Tallinn’s golden era is right now, and that’s why I’m happy we went. There is beer in Estonia from both old and new schools, and I tried dipping my beak into several.

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The server at Kuldse Notsu Kõrts (The Golden Piglet Inn) cautioned me about the Saku Mõdu I’d just ordered.

“It is very sweet,” she said in perfect English.

I reassured her: I’m a trained professional who knows what mõdu (mead) is.

In this case, it was a tasty honey-flavored malt beverage of moderate carbonation and alcoholic strength, similar to what I’ve had before in Scandinavia. Braggot, perhaps? While mead may have originated in China, India and/or the Middle East, it will remain a beverage that sounds Nordic to me, and drinks better the closer you are to salt water.

We dined at The Golden Piglet Inn on our last night in Tallinn. It isn’t the type of restaurant most amenable to those in the habit of counting calories.


Using recipes that have been passed down from our grandmothers and our grandmothers’ grandmothers, this authentic restaurant is popular with locals as well as tourists. All meals are prepared with fresh products from local farms, accompanied by a variety of Estonian drinks.


Consequently, I was delighted to see both mead and kvass on the drinks menu, even if they’re commercially produced and not rigorously farmhouse-sourced. They paired nicely with my meal of sauerkraut soup and salted herring.

Kvass is a lightly fermented, traditionally homebrewed “soft” drink made from dark bread and yeast, with a myriad of other additional ingredients varying from kitchen to kitchen. We tend to think of kvass as Russian, though many Baltic and Eastern European countries have their own versions. In the Estonian language, it's called kali.


To create that tangy fermented flavor, kvas makers start with Russian brown bread. You soak it in water, and then add some yeast (other additions — raisins, honey, mint — vary from recipe to recipe). The whole mixture ferments for a few days, a process that creates a natural carbonation, as well as a distinctive sour flavor.

According to Russian writer Alexander Genis, that sourness is beloved in the region. "The sour is the taste of Russia — everything is supposed to be sour for Russian taste. Like sour cream, for example, or pickled cucumber. Cabbage, mushroom."


Given that one of the glories of Estonian cuisine is its dense, moist black bread, kvass/kali is a natural product line extension. It tastes like its principle ingredients, bread and water.

The commercial version of kvass available at the Golden Piglet Inn actually lacked the tang of what I remembered at a street stand in Moscow, circa 1999. It was sweeter but no less delicious, and would be an apt thirst quencher in summertime, so keep the lemonade and iced tea. Let’s cook some kvass instead.

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For beer hunters of my generation, Estonia is primarily associated with two larger commercial breweries and two relatively familiar beers: A. Le Coq Imperial Extra Double Stout, and Saku (Baltic) Porter.

The writer Michael “Beer Hunter” Jackson told the story of A. Le Coq in his classic introductory text from the 1970s, World Guide to Beer. In the early 19th-century, the brewery’s founder and namesake Albert Le Coq began brewing Imperial Stout in England to Tsarist expectations, shipping it to Russia via the Baltic.

St. Petersburg, then the Russian capital, lies at the Gulf of Finland’s furthest reach, 230 miles to the east of Tallinn. In the early 1900s, the A. Le Coq finally elected to establish production nearer its market, and the company purchased a brewery in Tartu – now Estonia, then Russia. Accordingly, there was a side benefit of avoiding increasingly onerous import duties.

Sadly, World War I and the Russian Revolution quickly ensued, combining to put A. Le Coq out of business, though the brewery eventually was resuscitated under new management during the first period of Estonian independence before (again) being nationalized during the Soviet occupation, ending in 1991.

Today, A. Le Coq remains in Tartu and is a subsidiary of the Finnish company Olvi. While in Tallinn, I drank several pints of A. Le Coq Premium, the flagship golden lager. It’s smooth and balanced; heftier than mass market American brands but falling shy of what I’d expect in Germany.

Baieri Kelder, the Bavarian-style restaurant in the basement of the Hotell St. Barbara (both recommended, by the way) stocked bottles of A. Le Coq’s Porter (6.5% abv) and Imperial Marzen (since when does 5% abv justify the “imperial” modifier?), and both were solid, if unspectacular. Unfortunately, when the draft lineup includes fresh Paulaner Hefeweizen, Märzen and Salvator, there isn’t very much incentive to improvise.

Once in the Old Town, I spotted bottles of A. Le Coq IPA, made with Chinook, Amarillo, Cascade and Citra hops. There was a time when I’d have jumped. This time, I merely shrugged, because drinking American-style IPAs simply isn’t why I came to Estonia.

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It’s been at least 15 years, and probably more, since the B. United beer importing company commissioned the revival of A. Le Coq Imperial Extra Double Stout.

The internet informs me that these days, Imperial Extra Double Stout is being brewed in the United Kingdom by Harvey & Son. Back in the day, this ale was a staple of the Public House’s bottle list, very expensive and entirely worth it. A reviewer at Beer Advocate captures it perfectly.


Dark fruits, licorice, saddle soap, leathery funk, figs, and cherries. A whole lot going on. Raspberries, and maybe a bit of barnyard. Burnt fruitcake and some bubblegum. Some industrial asphalt kind of aroma as well. This is crazy complex.


Had there been the opportunity to drink an A. Le Coq Imperial Extra Double Stout while in Tallinn, I’d have liked to pair it with the herrings, blood sausage, bear meat dumplings, head cheese and dense, nutty pumpernickel bread.

In Part Two, I’ll have a few words about Saku, a newer generation of Estonian “craft” beers, and places I enjoyed them.

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May 9: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: Hip Hops ... A look at two new New Albany breweries.

April 26: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: The mouse, the elephant, and a clash of nonpareils ... part two.

April 25: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: The mouse, the elephant, and a clash of nonpareils ... part one.

April 18: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: Euro ’85, Part 33 … All good things must come to a beginning.

April 11: THE POTABLE CURMUDGEON: Euro ’85, Part 32 … Leaving Leningrad.

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