Saturnalia receding, Gravity Head approaching on February 27.

While I’m not quite ready to close the book on Saturnalia, there are still a few beers left to be put on line, and so we’ll hold off for a bit longer before announcing finis. The updates remain here: Current Saturnalia draft lineup.

Yes, work has now started on planning Gravity Head, and from New Zealand (where's he's currently residing), Tony Beard sends this first glimpse of the logo:

Mike's "Beer Cellar Christmas Shoppe" open again Friday and Saturday (December 19th & 20th).

The second weekend of Saturnalia MMVIII will be underway tomorrow.

Current Saturnalia draft lineup (subject to updating).

Tomorrow's firkin will be Harvey’s Christmas Ale.

As was the case last weekend, NABC’s new Beer Manager, Mike Bauman, has sifted through the vintage beer cellar as well as uncovering some bottled overstocks, glassware, and other items. He’s set up a Beer Cellar Christmas Shoppe in the rear of Prost (entrance from Rich O’s) and will be offering the merchandise at these times:

Friday, December 19 from 3 to 8 p.m.
Saturday, December 20 from 3 to 8 p.m.

Note: All the Alaskan Smoked Porter up for grabs this time is gone, Dave.

Current Saturnalia draft lineup (subject to updating).

(Final update, Monday, January 12)

Here's the final Saturnalia lineup. The end is near, and Gravity Head 2009 (The Liver Olympics) is coming soon. Four listed Saturnalia selections that have been delayed for various reasons will be moved to Gravity Head duty.

The * indicates a beer never before poured at the pub.

ON TAP NOW

BELGIUM
Gouden Carolus Noël
La Rulles Cuvée Meilleurs Voeux

GERMANY
Mahr’s Der Weisse Bock

ITALY
*Malthus Birolla (Birrificio di Como)
*Shangrila (Birrificio Troll)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Bluegrass Brewing Company Hell for Certain
Breckenridge Christmas Ale
*Brooklyn Brewery Brewmasters Reserve Grand Cru
Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Winter Storm
Great Divide Hibernation Ale
NABC Bonfire of the Valkyries
NABC Naughty Claus
*Redstone Black Raspberry Nectar Mead
*Shmaltz He’Brew Jewbelation Twelve
*Thirsty Dog 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale

STILL TO BE TAPPED

BELGIUM
*Duvel Green

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Avery Old Jubilation
horsebrewery.com/our_brews.asp">Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout

MOVED TO GRAVITY HEAD 2009
De Dolle Stille Nacht
*Krampus (Birrificio del Ducato)
*Verdi Imperial Stout (Birrificio del Ducato)
*Victory Baltic Thunder

VERIFIED AWOL
*Chiostro (Piccolo Birrificio - Italy ... simply disappeared somewhere)
Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve (wasn't a JLS offering after all ... thanks for telling me ... we tapped a keg of Yellow Snow instead, and it is gone)

LINEUP NOTE:
We received Atwater Winter Bock instead of the scheduled Vanilla Java Porter.

SACRIFICED TO THE GODS OF SATURNALIA
Anchor Christmas Ale (“Merry Christmas & Happy New Year”)
*Atwater Winter Bock
*Barley Island Beastie Bourbon Barrel-Aged Oatmeal Stout
*Bell’s Christmas Ale
Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury
*Birra di Natale (Birrificio BEBA)
Boulder Never Summer Ale
Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout
Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Peg Leg Imperial Stout (firkin)
*horsebrewery.com/our_brews.asp">Dark Horse Perkulator Coffee Doppelbock
Delirium Noël
Dupont Les Bons Voeux
*Harvey’s Christmas Ale (firkin)
Kasteel Rouge
Left Hand Snowbound Winter Ale
N’Ice Chouffe
*Nora (Birreria Baladin)
Oaken Barrel Epiphany
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar
Samuel Adams Winter Lager
Scaldis Noël
Schlafly Christmas Ale
Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard
Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Xmas Porter
*Two Brothers Oh Brother Tripel
Upland Winter Warmer
Weihenstephaner Korbinian

----

Complete descriptions of American beers for Saturnalia

Complete descriptions of Belgian, German, Italian and British beers for Saturnalia

The Saturnalia MMVIII starting lineup is revealed.

(Updated at 4:00 p.m. after learning that Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar is not available for delivery this week. It has been replaced by Two Brothers Oh Brother Tripel)

Here's the Saturnalia starting lineup for Friday, December 12, as determined by Mike and the Curmudgeon yesterday afternoon. Actually, there may be an error, since I forgot the paper and put these down from memory. If so, I'll correct later this morning. The * indicates a beer never before poured at the pub.

BELGIUM

Delirium Noël
Noël, from the venerable, family-run Huyghe brewery near Ghent, blends the cleanness of Delirium Tremens (golden) and Delirium Nocturnum (dark) into a unique third way, albeit a shade stronger, prompting the brewery to remind us that it “requires a responsible consumption.” 10% abv.

Dupont Les Bons Voeux
Tawny blond, dry-hopped Saison for the holiday; brewed every year since 1970. The name means, “With the best wishes of the brewery” – Dupont, that is. 9.5% abv.

N’Ice Chouffe
Thyme, vanilla, orange peel and candi sugar are among the spices used to accent a dark and brawny winter seasonal, brewed in the hills of the Ardennes. 10% abv.

GERMANY

Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock
One of the Publican’s all-time Desert Island beers is Schlenkerla Marzen, now on tap all year round, except when Urbock, Marzen’s bigger brother, breezes into town for the holidaze. Taste what happens when beechwood is used in the correct way (as flavor, not bedding in the Clydesdale’s stalls). 6.6% abv.

ITALY

*Birra di Natale (Birrificio BEBA)
The next frontier for creative craft brewing is in Italy, so you’d best get used to the idea. We begin with BEBA’s winter lager, which should serve as a tasty calibration beer. Natale is brewed with pilsner, munich and caramel malts, and hopped with Hallertauer Magnum. 8.5% abv.

*Nora (Birreria Baladin)
Throwback Egyptian recipes always are an excellent change of pace. Unmalted kamut (an ancient form of wheat) is used, and only the bare minimum of hops, which were not used in beer until later, are added solely for their preservative qualities. Ginger and orange peel are employed for balance, and myrrh for bittering. 6.8% abv.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

*Barley Island Beastie Bourbon Barrel-Aged Oatmeal Stout
The Noblesville brewery’s Brass Knuckles Oatmeal Stout (5% abv in customary form) is aged in Buffalo Trace bourbon whiskey barrels, bolstering strength. Barley Island’s owners and brew crew will be on site at Rich O’s on Saturday, December 13, to help us drink some Beastie.

Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury
This Belgian Strong Ale first appeared in 2004. According to the brewery, it’s “A brew that gives you either sympathy for the devil or the courage to face him … Goes especially well with your favorite lost my girl/truck/dog/trailer song.” Of course. 7.7% abv.

Boulder Never Summer Ale
American seasonal ale brewed with 2-row barley and British dark caramel malt; Nugget, Willamette and Cascade hops; and a “top secret brewmaster’s spice,” all on behalf of “the drinking town with a skiing problem.” 5.94% abv.

Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Peg Leg Imperial Stout (firkin)
Cross your fingers, cask-conditioned ale lovers. We’ve been sitting on this firkin for about five months, letting a bit of age reshape the thick, evolving black loveliness within. 8% abv.

*horsebrewery.com/our_brews.asp">Dark Horse Perkulator Coffee Doppelbock
Does anyone ever brew a coffee beer that isn’t a porter or a stout? Affirmative. Dark Horse’s –ator tag is priceless. Guesstimating 7.5% abv.

Left Hand Snowbound Winter Ale
Presented as an “antidote to cabin fever,” and brewed with two-row, Munich, crystal and chocolate malts, Magnum and Saaz hops, and a spice array of crushed cinnamon, cloves, orange zest, honey, chopped ginger and cardamom. The website lists it as 7.6% abv.

NABC Bonfire of the Valkyries
An unprecedented Schwarzbier/Rauchbier hybrid (smoked black lager), back for its third seasonal batch. Not excessively smoky; just right. All in all, magic fire mood music for Saturnalia. Circa 6.5% abv.

NABC Naughty Claus
Jesse’s and Jared’s holiday spiced winter warmer features four malts, molasses, dark brown sugar, orange peel, cinnamon sticks and a few Saaz hops out of habit, if nothing else. This year’s version is evolving as I write. 7.5% abv.

Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout
Last year’s portion went quickly as the sweet tooth brigade gathered for the kill. It’s stout infused with Belgian dark chocolate, and clocks in at circa 7% abv.

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
It is indeed difficult to imagine another seasonal ale that symbolizes the holidays better than Celebration Ale. Desert island beer for many, recurring seasonal favorite, with generous doses of Chinook (for bittering), Cascades and Centennial hops, dry-hopped with all three, but not neglecting a delicious malt underpinning. 6.8% abv.

Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard
The process is simple. Arrogant Bastard is aged on oak chips, with lend toasty vanilla flavors that are the perfect complement to the ale’s big background malt wallop. We appreciate aggressive hopping, too. Circa 6.8% abv.

*Two Brothers Oh Brother Tripel
An unpreviewed seasonal release from Chicagoland’s Two Brothers, made from pilsner malt, candi sugar, and “non-traditional” hops. 8.5% abv.

Saturnalia MMVIII program available on-line for downloading.

Saturnalia starts at NABC on Friday, December 12, and here’s the link to the .zip file with the .pdf of the official program. I spotted a couple of typos after putting it on-line, but that’s okay.

Download the program

All of it was previewed here in November, but the .pdf can be printed out, and you won't have to wait until opening day to have a glance at it.

55 guest kegs are expected, with roughly 16 of them (including a firkin) pouring on opening night and the remainder appearing afterward, probably well into January. About half are already in stock, with another dozen coming next week. The rest will be trickling in throughout December.

Te starting lineup will be determined early this week, as Mike and I tend to the pricing.

Speaking of Mike, the beer manager will have a ballast-lightening Vintage Shop running during the opening weekend of Saturnalia, December 12 & 13. The shop will be located to the rear of Prost, and will have beers for carry-out purchase as drawn from the beer cellar and overstocks. Vintage beers available for purchase include various Stones, Bigfoots, Thomas Hardy's, Bell's, JW Lee's and a few Alaskan Smoked Porters. There are others; with luck, we'll have a cheat sheet out later this week.

There'll also be glassware and selected other goodies.

Hallelujah! FOSSILS annual holiday bash scheduled for Saturday, December 13.

Wanna join me in feeling old?

This year's FOSSILS holiday party on December 13 will be the homebrewing and beer appreciation club's 19th such celebration. The first was in 1990, just months after the club was founded. Scant memories of it include the Hallelujah Chorus and a bottle of Armenian brandy that somehow made it loose from the cabinet.

Here's the lowdown on the 2008 edition. Obviously, the party's intended for members, but I hope I'm not speaking out of place in suggesting that the gathering is the natural opportunity to gift you and yours with a membership that qualifies the good times to start rolling. Note also that with Saturnalia beginning the day before, there'll be plenty of festive holiday beers on tap at the Publc House.

---

FOSSILS Holiday Party

Date: Saturday, December 13
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Location: Prost! Room, Rich O's Public House

Again this year, the Christmas party will be catered by Rich O's. Everything is covered, including appetizers, dinner and dessert!

Festivities:

*Bring items for the raffle - gift wrapped if you wish - this is one of the best raffles of the year!
*Dress festively if you are in the mood to do so!

Event cost:

$15 per person, payable by check or cash at the door, includes appetizers, dinner, homebrew and dessert. Please bring your homebrew! If there is anything you wish to bring (desserts, raffle items, reindeer, homebrew), please do so and share the holiday spirit!

RSVP:

We need to deliver a headcount for catering, so please try to RSVP me with the number attending in your party by Friday, December 8. Guests (21 and over) are welcome to attend - please remember to include them in your RSVP.

Dogfish Head Hootenanny recap, and a few reflections.

My friend John Freyer, the Chicagoland-based regional representative of the innovative Dogfish Head craft brewery, was in town last night for a hootenanny, which is a fun way of describing a vertical Dogfish Head ale tasting jazzed up with a chilled buffet of Thanksgiving-style “leftovers” and accompanied by a bit of education and an evening’s conviviality.

Not only is John a craft beer business veteran and someone who’s been through all the madness that we’ll be experiencing when NABC’s downtown production brewery opens (bankers, if you’re reading and have cash to lend, call me immediately), but he’s also a diehard baseball fan who has co-authored books on our favorite game. After the hootenanny, we chewed the fat at the bar and vowed to collaborate someday on a baseball & beer companion. It was a blast, and it reminded me of how very much I love what I do. I'm the carnival barker, and I get to drink beer while I work.

I’m fortunate to make a living from my lifelong hobby of drinking beer, preferably in my natural habitat, the pub. Yes, it’s a business, and we need to make a profit to survive. But, at the end of the day, intangibles matter more to me. Being in a position to bring people like John to New Albany, and to have people come from miles around to sample beers and share knowledge, is what keeps me coming back for more, and helps me to tolerate the throbbing in my knees this a.m.

Of course, there’s a valid point to be made with respect to my attention to detail when it comes to money, in the sense that if I ran a tighter ship both personally and professionally, there’d be more lucre left over for the Curmudgeons. But my wife gets it, and truthfully, it simply doesn’t bother me, because I’d rather be good at what I do, and what I do is teaching and memory creation. Legacies don’t have to be built on wealth, even when they’re accruing from a for-profit business.

None of us will be taking any of it with us. C'est la vie.

Meaningful legacies in my line of work are about doing what you can, while you can, as best you can, and creating memories that are impervious to calculations of interest and percentages. If twenty years from now, someone smiles because they recall good times at the pub, then that’s the best return of all on our investment. In all honesty, I can’t say that I give a damn about the money beyond what it takes to survive. You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes … well, you know the rest of the Jagger/Richards axiom, don’t you?

---

NABC’s annual celebration of winter seasonal and holiday draft from America and the world begins on December 12. It’s my favorite festival of all the ones we stage and attend every year, primarily because so many people I haven’t seen in a while come back for the holidays, and these beers provide the festive accompaniment to the joys of reconnecting with old pals, sharing the war stories, and remembering the ones who no longer are with us. It was a bad year in the sense of losses, and I’m carrying a grudge against the Grim Reaper, but tomorrow’s another day, and the forthcoming year another year. You do your best, and keep fighting.

Here are the links to Saturnalia information posted here previously. Note that since the descriptions were written, I've updated the one for NABC Naughty Claus to reflect Jesse's submission of this year's formulation.

American micro draft lineup, descriptions, links for Saturnalia Winter Solstice MMVIII (begins December 12).

Imported draft lineup, descriptions, links for Saturnalia Winter Solstice MMVIII (begins December 12).

Saturnalia explained: Festive draft beers for the winter solstice, coming December 12.

Roger's believe-it-or-not: Saturnalia's planned and ready, a full month ahead of opening night.

American micro draft lineup, descriptions, links for Saturnalia Winter Solstice MMVIII (begins December 12).

Here are the American microbrewed selections that have been listed for the fifth edition of Saturnalia, which kicks off at the Public House on December 12.

Pricing and portion sizes vary according to alcohol content and style. Selections marked with an asterisk * are appearing on draft for the first time at Rich O’s Public House and Sportstime Pizza.

The three previous table setters for today's concluding half of the Saturnalia listings are these:

Imported draft lineup, descriptions, links for Saturnalia Winter Solstice MMVIII (begins December 12).

Saturnalia explained: Festive draft beers for the winter solstice, coming December 12.

Roger's believe-it-or-not: Saturnalia's planned and ready, a full month ahead of opening night.

John Campbell is working on the official poster, and when it's ready, it will be previewed here.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Anchor Christmas Ale (“Merry Christmas & Happy New Year”)
The holiday ale’s recipe has differed each year since its inception in 1975, but the conceptual links with trees (on the bottle label) and the winter solstice have endured. 5.5% abv.

*Atwater Vanilla Java Porter
Starbucks need not apply to serve this dessert drink, chilled, with chocolate malt, vanilla flavoring, coffee beans, and even American-grown Golding hops just for the fun of it 6% abv.

Avery Old Jubilation
Mahogany-colored, nutty and toffeeish English-style strong ale, brewed from five malts (two-row, special roast, black, chocolate and victory) and Bullion hops. 8% abv.

*Barley Island Beastie Bourbon Barrel-Aged Oatmeal Stout
The Noblesville brewery’s Brass Knuckles Oatmeal Stout (5% abv in customary form) is aged in Buffalo Trace bourbon whiskey barrels, bolstering strength. Barley Island’s owners and brew crew will be on site at Rich O’s on Saturday, December 13, to help us drink some Beastie.

*Bell’s Christmas Ale
And now something completely different, as Bell’s delves into holiday ales with is being described as a Scots 80 Shilling (Wee Heavy) formulation brewed with Michigan barley and a blend of Pacific Northwest hops and a few cones of Michigan-grown hops. Guesstimating 7%+ abv.

Bell’s Hell Hath No Fury
This Belgian Strong Ale first appeared in 2004. According to the brewery, it’s “A brew that gives you either sympathy for the devil or the courage to face him … Goes especially well with your favorite lost my girl/truck/dog/trailer song.” Of course. 7.7% abv.

Bluegrass Brewing Company Hell for Certain
Original BBC brewmaster David Pierce’s classic seasonal Belgian style, taking at least some measure of inspiration from Wallonian gnomes, and the remainder from a strange Kentucky hamlet that may not have voted to re-elect Mitch McConnell. Circa 7.5% abv.

Boulder Never Summer Ale
American seasonal ale brewed with 2-row barley and British dark caramel malt; Nugget, Willamette and Cascade hops; and a “top secret brewmaster’s spice,” all on behalf of “the drinking town with a skiing problem.” 5.94% abv.

Breckenridge Christmas Ale
Dark mahogany in color (two row, caramel, chocolate, black malts) with Chinook and Mt. Hood for balance. Very Colorado. 7.4% abv.

Brooklyn Brewery Black Chocolate Stout
Chocolate’s the selling point, but there is none; rather, intensely roasted malts and brewing skullduggery are the culprits. Should be saved for Gravity Head, but the Publican loves his Imperials. 10.1% abv.

*Brooklyn Brewery Brewmasters Reserve Grand Cru
As befitting the man who wrote the book on food and beer pairings, Garrett Oliver offers this special Belgian ale, brewed with Canadian barley and winter wheat, two different types of orange peel, lemon peel, chamomile, coriander and wildflower honey. 8.4% abv.

Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Peg Leg Imperial Stout (firkin)
Cross your fingers, cask-conditioned ale lovers. We’ve been sitting on this firkin for about five months, letting a bit of age reshape the thick, evolving black loveliness within. 8% abv.

Clipper City “Heavy Seas” Winter Storm
There is a presumption of “Imperial ESB” in this ale, with four malts and five hops (Magnum, Fuggles, Cascade, Centennial and Chinook). Dry hopped. 7.5% abv.

*horsebrewery.com/our_brews.asp">Dark Horse Perkulator Coffee Doppelbock
Does anyone ever brew a coffee beer that isn’t a porter or a stout? Affirmative. Dark Horse’s –ator tag is priceless. Guesstimating 7.5% abv.

horsebrewery.com/our_brews.asp">Dark Horse Tres Blueberry Stout
This fruit-laced Stout comes from one of many innovative Michigan breweries and has arrived late every time we’ve ordered it, but is much loved when finally here. Keep watching the blackboards. 4.5% abv.

Great Divide Hibernation Ale
It’s a winter ale, but one that is lagered for three months prior to release. Perhaps overshadowed by some of today’s extreme microbrews, but enduring, unique and worthy in its own right - deep, nutty and smooth. 8.1% abv.

Left Hand Snowbound Winter Ale
Presented as an “antidote to cabin fever,” and brewed with two-row, Munich, crystal and chocolate malts, Magnum and Saaz hops, and a spice array of crushed cinnamon, cloves, orange zest, honey, chopped ginger and cardamom. The website lists it as 7.6% abv.

NABC Bonfire of the Valkyries
An unprecedented Schwarzbier/Rauchbier hybrid (smoked black lager), back for its third seasonal batch. Not excessively smoky; just right. All in all, magic fire mood music for Saturnalia. Circa 6.5% abv.

NABC Naughty Claus
Jesse’s and Jared’s holiday spiced winter warmer undergoes yearly modification. For 2008, the recipe calls for 2-row, chocolate, and aromatic malts, Dutch dark cocoa and fresh mint. That’s right: No hops at all. Circa 7% abv.

Oaken Barrel Epiphany
Westmalle Trappist yeast is used to fashion this tasty Tripel, which nudges toward the sweet side of the range without sacrificing a velvety sipability. Take that, Bud Light. Circa 9% abv.

Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence Stout
Last year’s portion went quickly as the sweet tooth brigade gathered for the kill. It’s stout infused with Belgian dark chocolate, and clocks in at circa 7% abv.

*Redstone Black Raspberry Nectar Mead
It’s another first for us, although mead arguably is the oldest fermented beverage known to man. Redstone’s nectar is classified as Melomel. Five parts Clover honey and one part Wildflower honey yield mead of medium sweetness, with black raspberries added. 8% abv.

Rogue Chocolate Stout
Brewed with a staggering 10 ingredients, including chocolate malt, chocolate flavoring and rolled oats. It is rich in every conceivable respect. Circa 6% abv.

Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar
First concocted in honor of a creative, homebrewing friend of Rogue’s head brewer, HazelNut Brown Nectar is brewed with hazelnut extract, at least a half-dozen malts, Perle and Saaz hops, and Rogue’s trademark yeast strain. 6.2% abv.

Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve
Santa’s Private Reserve is back on draft as part of Rogue’s “John’s Locker Stock” series. Imagine a slightly bigger St. Rogue Red with double the hops. Circa 6.5% abv.

Samuel Adams Winter Lager
Bottom fermented wheat bock with Goldings and German Noble hops and a “touch” of spice (cinnamon, ginger and orange peel). 5.8% abv

Schlafly Christmas Ale
Schlafly is the “new religion in Mecca,” and its St. Louis megabrewing neighbor brews nothing as big as this big amber ale flavored with orange peel and cloves. 10% abv.

*Shmaltz He’Brew Jewbelation Twelve
Shmaltz’s 12th anniversary ale uses 12 different malts and 12 distinct hop varieties in 12 separate additions. At 12% abv, the motto undoubtedly rings true through the shtick: “This anniversary, candles won’t be the only thing getting lit.”

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
It is indeed difficult to imagine another seasonal ale that symbolizes the holidays better than Celebration Ale. Desert island beer for many, recurring seasonal favorite, with generous doses of Chinook (for bittering), Cascades and Centennial hops, dry-hopped with all three, but not neglecting a delicious malt underpinning. 6.8% abv.

Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard
The process is simple. Arrogant Bastard is aged on oak chips, with lend toasty vanilla flavors that are the perfect complement to the ale’s big background malt wallop. We appreciate aggressive hopping, too. Circa 6.8% abv.

*Thirsty Dog 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale
Straight outta Akron, dog. Spiced with honey, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and “Santa's secret recipe.” 7.8% abv.

Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Xmas Porter
Who else but Three Floyds Brewing Company would devise a robust porter with English chocolate and Mexican sugar (or vice versa, depending on the source) that reeks of piney hop essence and is built on a malty foundation? No one, that’s who. 7.5% abv.

*Two Brothers Oh Brother Tripel
An unpreviewed seasonal release from Chicagoland’s Two Brothers, made from pilsner malt, candi sugar, and “non-traditional” hops. 8.5% abv.

Upland Winter Warmer
Upland’s annual winter specialty warmer is perhaps best described as a cross between an Old Ale and an English-style Barley Wine, falling a tad shy of the strong American microbrewed interpretations of both styles. 9% abv.

*Victory Baltic Thunder
Probably should have held onto this one for Gravity Head. Let’s just say that the Publican is eager to sample this variation on the Baltic Porter theme, courtesy for one of the most proficient breweries going. 8.5% abv.

Imported draft lineup, descriptions, links for Saturnalia Winter Solstice MMVIII (begins December 12).

Here are the imported selections that have been listed for the fifth edition of Saturnalia, which kicks off at the Public House on December 12.

Pricing and portion sizes vary according to alcohol content and style. Selections marked with an asterisk * are appearing on draft for the first time at Rich O’s Public House and Sportstime Pizza.

The two previous table setters for today's half of the Saturnalia listings are these:

Saturnalia explained: Festive draft beers for the winter solstice, coming December 12.

Roger's believe-it-or-not: Saturnalia's planned and ready, a full month ahead of opening night.

The American micro contingent will be previewed on Wednesday.

BELGIUM

De Dolle Stille Nacht
“Silent Night’s” ingredients include pale malt, white candi sugar and Nugget hops, but these don’t suffice to explain the seductive attraction of this Belgian classic. 27% degrees Plato, and 12% abv.

Delirium Noël
Noël, from the venerable, family-run Huyghe brewery near Ghent, blends the cleanness of Delirium Tremens (golden) and Delirium Nocturnum (dark) into a unique third way, albeit a shade stronger, prompting the brewery to remind us that it “requires a responsible consumption.” 10% abv.

Dupont Les Bons Voeux
Tawny blond, dry-hopped Saison for the holiday; brewed every year since 1970. The name means, “With the best wishes of the brewery” – Dupont, that is. 9.5% abv.

*Duvel Green
You read it right. Duvel, the Belgian ale that’s never, ever been on draft. Actually, the bottled Duvel formula we know best still isn’t. At 6.8% abv, export-only Duvel Green is entirely different animal from the famous non-draft version. ETA not known - keep your eyes open.

Gouden Carolus Noël
A secret recipe of six herbs and spices, along with Belgian hops, in an old house recipe that hadn’t been brewed for almost four decades until revived in 2002. 10.5% abv.

Kasteel Rouge
The Van Honsebrouck brewery uses the same cherry alcohol from Mon Cheri designer chocolates, dilutes it, then blends with the brewery’s Kasteel Bruin, yielding flavors of cherry, chocolate and toffee. 8% abv.

La Rulles Cuvée Meilleurs Voeux
Eclectic Wallonian holiday brew with pilsner, pale, Munich, caramel and roasted malts; dark candi sugar; American hops (Warrior, Amarillo and Cascade); and fermented using Orval’s distinctive Trappist yeast. 7.3% abv.

N’Ice Chouffe
Thyme, vanilla, orange peel and candi sugar are among the spices used to accent a dark and brawny winter seasonal, brewed in the hills of the Ardennes. 10% abv.

Scaldis Noël
When your flagship ale is the 12% abv blockbuster Scaldis (known as Bush in Belgium), what do you do for an encore come Christmas? Somehow Dubuisson’s holiday ale dials up the seductive elegance. It’s been a decade since we had Scaldis Noël on draft. 12% abv.

GERMANY

Mahr’s Der Weisse Bock
From the Publican’s favorite Bamberg family brewery that doesn’t produce smoked lager comes this compatriot of the better known Aventinus. If we could only reproduce the ambience of the venerable Mahr’s brewery taproom. 7.2% abv

Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock
One of the Publican’s all-time Desert Island beers is Schlenkerla Marzen, now on tap all year round, except when Urbock, Marzen’s bigger brother, breezes into town for the holidaze. Taste what happens when beechwood is used in the correct way (as flavor, not bedding in the Clydesdale’s stalls). 6.6% abv.

Weihenstephaner Korbinian
Before there were wheat (Mahr’s) and coffee (Dark Horse) Doppelbocks, there was Doppelbock straight up - malty, dark, strong and always German. 7.4% abv.

ITALY

*Birra di Natale (Birrificio BEBA)
The next frontier for creative craft brewing is in Italy, so you’d best get used to the idea. We begin with BEBA’s winter lager, which should serve as a tasty calibration beer. Natale is brewed with pilsner, munich and caramel malts, and hopped with Hallertauer Magnum. 8.5% abv.

*Chiostro (Piccolo Birrificio)
The malt bill includes pilsner, wheat and rye malts, and Hallertauer is a familiar German hop variety, but then things get interesting. The yeast is Trappist, and the spice of choice is leaves of Wormwood/Absinthe (Arthemisia absinthium), which go straight into the kettle. Paging Mr. Van Gogh? 5% abv.

*Krampus (Birrificio del Ducato)
The beer itself (8% abv) is spiced with star anise, and the origin of the name is well worth noting (as related on importer B. United’s web site):

The word Krampus originates from the Old High German word for claw (Krampen). In the Alpine region the Krampus is represented by an incubus in company of St Nicholas. Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks of December and particularly in the evening of December 5 and roam the streets frightening children (and adults) with rusty chains and bells. In some rural areas also slight birching especially of young females by the Krampus is part of tradition.

*Malthus Birolla (Birrificio di Como)
Brewed somewhat near George Clooney’s estate in Northern Italy, Malthus Birolla’s twist is the addition of roasted chestnuts and local honey to the wort. Later, the more of same honey goes into the maturation tanks. 6.5% abv.

*Nora (Birreria Baladin)
Throwback Egyptian recipes always are an excellent change of pace. Unmalted kamut (an ancient form of wheat) is used, and only the bare minimum of hops, which were not used in beer until later, are added solely for their preservative qualities. Ginger and orange peel are employed for balance, and myrrh for bittering. 6.8% abv.

*Shangrila (Birrificio Troll)
Shangrila is the Publican’s most anticipated Saturnalia MMVIII ale. To a standard recipe of malt and English hops, a tandori blend of Himalayan spices ups the ante: Coriander, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, ginger, cardamom, saffron, curry, pepper, and anise. 8.5% abv.

*Verdi Imperial Stout (Birrificio del Ducato)
Discerning readers may be aware that one current trend in fine chocolate making is the use of hot chili peppers, which add spice and dryness to rich, dark creations. Will the same philosophy hold with Imperial Stout? 7.5% abv.

UNITED KINGDOM

*Harvey’s Christmas Ale (firkin)No gimmicks here. Maris Otter and crystal malts, pinhead oats, Fuggle and Golding hops from within cycling distance of the brewery, traditional open primary fermentation and house yeast. 8.1% abv.

Saturnalia explained: Festive draft beers for the winter solstice, coming December 12.

Yesterday I set the table.

Roger's believe-it-or-not: Saturnalia's planned and ready, a full month ahead of opening night.

Today, the conceptual basis for our Saturnalia Winter Solstice draft celebration, as copied from the printed souvenir program that will be ready for perusal on December 12 when the taps open.

----

Festive draft beers for the winter solstice.

In pre-Christian Rome, Saturnalia was the annual winter solstice celebration that originally coincided with the feast days for Saturn (god of sowing and the harvest), Consus (god of the storage bin) and Opa (goddess of plenty).

Many of our contemporary winter holiday traditions derive from Saturnalia’s pagan roots, including the hanging of wreaths and garlands, donations to the needy, prayers for peace, time off work to be enjoyed with family, and of course eating, drinking and merriment.

Beginning Dec. 12 & lasting all month.

The New Albanian Brewing Company pays tribute to these ancient pagan origins with Saturnalia, an annual holiday draft celebration. We’ve gathered dozens of special kegs of beer – some rare, some seasonal and others just festive – from America and around the world. Some of these hard-to-find beers will be appearing in draft form at Rich O’s and Sportstime Pizza for the first time ever in metropolitan Louisville.

When the doors open at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, the first wave of sacrificial MMVIII Saturnalia selections will be revealed, tapped in the traditional, ritualistic manner … and the hedonistic pleasures will begin. The remaining kegs will be tapped as the days pass and the first wave depletes.

UNLEASHING YOUR INNER PAGAN, ONE SEASONAL POUR AT A TIME.

Pricing and portion sizes vary according to alcohol content and style. Selections marked with an asterisk * are appearing on draft for the first time at Rich O’s Public House and Sportstime Pizza. During the festival’s run, information and updates will appear on these web sites:

New Albanian Brewing Company
Potable Curmudgeon's blog

Always look on the blackboards to see what is on tap, and remember: Adults drink responsibly!

Roger's believe-it-or-not: Saturnalia's planned and ready, a full month ahead of opening night.

Just the facts, reader: In professional terms, the effort required to breathe life into a business expansion and new brewery in downtown New Albany has deprived me of a substantial portion of the time I used to invest in beer-related matters at our original Grant Line Road location.

In 2008, I was forced by necessity to put the “Your Name Here” fest into what I hope is temporary cold storage, and owing to issues pertaining to timing (wholesaler timidity?) and availability in distribution, there was little choice in electing to take a year off from Lambic by the Glass. The Sandkerwa homage to Franconia wasn’t what I wanted it to be, either, but it went on as scheduled.

In my estimation, Lupulin Harvest Hopcoming went pretty well on the hop-infused American end (a half-dozen or so beers are still pouring as I write), but I could have done a better job with the foreign contingent.

Mind you, not that we haven’t given good event during a year that’s almost concluded. The tenth anniversary edition of Gravity Head rocked. We’ve had more one-off, in-house promos than ever before, involving two or three Schlafly visits, exciting new Italian drafts, one Dogfish draft extravaganza already passed and another Dogfish celebration coming with the Hootenanny this Friday night, November 14.

And, in anticipation of the forthcoming Bank Street Brewhouse and our Louisville metro rollout for NABC brands, we’ve done a few great local gigs with our own house beer in addition to the usual summertime festival road show, including showcases at Nachbar and Monkey Wrench, the Volksfest with BBC and other area micros, and our own Fringe Fest during Harvest Homecoming in New Albany.

All of which is a long-winded way of saying that although numerous things have gone right this year, others haven’t been as smooth, and as a result, I’ve taken extra time to ensure that Saturnalia Winter Solstice will kick major butt this year in its fifth incarnation.

In fact, I’ve finished the prep work, and the program could actually be printed today if I had the additional time to bother. Saturnalia begins on December 12, meaning that while I’m forever notorious for waiting until the very last minute to concentrate and finish any project, this time I’m a month ahead of schedule.

I’m going to be publishing the contents of the Saturnalia program here on the blog, beginning tomorrow with the conceptual overview, and then followed by the individual beer listings with links to further information. Of the big three draft overkills we do on an annual basis, Saturnalia remains my personal favorite. Gravity Head choices must be big, and ones for Lupulin Land hoppy, but during the holidaze, anything goes. “Festive” is my watchword when foraging for the fifty-plus beers that will pour a baker’s dozen at a time from December 12 into January, 2009.

Hold on. They’re coming.

A healthy contingent of Italian craft brews headed this way in December.

Last week I began the task of collating the many pre-orders and gearing up for December, when NABC's annual offering of Saturnalia Winter Solstice selections go on tap. A healthy number of Italian craft beers, which we've considered randomly in this space during the past year or more, have been intended for the holiday period.

Coincidentally, the Sunday edition of the New York Times offers a travel page consideration of the burgeoning Italian microbrewing scene. Thanks to Matthew and Jeff for pointing me to it.

Savoring Italy, One Beer at a Time, by Evan Rail.

“Italian brewers have done a wonderful job of making it clear that they are the same sort of artisans as chefs and others involved in food,” said Stan Hieronymus, the author of “Brew Like a Monk,” who is making his own trip to the region this fall. “That makes a trip to Italy to find more of these beers and to experience them, along with local cuisine, particularly appealing.”

Stan says it all, and if you examine the innovative ingredients being used by these Italian microbreweries, the food pairing possibilities seem limitless. In no particular order, here's the list of Italian beers ordered for Saturnalia.

1 20L Shangrila Shangrila (8.5% abv)
1 20L Birra di Natale Birra di Natale (8.5% abv)
1 20L Krampus Krampus (8% abv)
1 20L Chiostro Chiostro (5%)
1 20L Verdi Imperial Stout (7.5% abv)
1 30L Nora Nora (6.8% abv)
1 20L Malthus Birolla Malthus Birolla (6.5% abv)

And, here's the link to the Italian craft beer promotion we staged earlier in 2008:

Week of July 21, 2008: Carobs, Chestnuts, Chinotto & Chamomile: Italian Microbrewed Specialties.

Hersbrucker infused NABC Elsa now "Randallized."

Jared took charge of the planning for this year's appearance by Randall the Enamel Animal, and the result is NABC's Elsa Von Horizon Imperial Pilsner modified with Hersbrucker. Jared allowed the first cylinder to steep over the weekend. Get here this afternoon a little after 3:00 p.m. and taste the hops.

In other news, the NABC web site is temporarily, but should be back shortly. Once this annoyance is resolved, we're pushing hard this week to put up a completely revamped site, so stay tuned.

The rear keg box (Guinness, Smithwick's & Lindemans) has died again, and this time I have a bad feel as to the prospects to bring it back to life. We may be out of those three brands the next few days while repair options are explored.

Grrrr.

Hopocalypse Now: Lupulin Land update.

(Updated Monday, November 3)

In terms of that ever mysterious realm of consumer preference, Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming probably is the most taste-specific of the draft fests we stage each year. Gravity Head selections share the common characteristic of being strong in alcoholic terms, but can vary considerably otherwise. Saturnalia beers include a broad range of winter and holiday choices, encompassing all ABVs and a cornucopia of stylistic perspectives.

But it seems that people either like hops or don’t, and although each year there are several blessed conversions as the previously frightened take a second taste of IPAs, wet-hop ales and ESBs, the dividing lines are drawn fairly tightly. The aficionados camp outside the door, while the non-hoppy seek solace in other arms.

Anyway, here’s the rendering of currently available hoppy drafts after a week of Lupulin Land. Note that several of these are expected to expire today, so the lineup should be different by Saturday. At the very bottom of the page, in approximate order, are the beers ready to come on line in the next couple of days.

An * means that it's the first time on draft at the Public House.

Microbrews
horsebrewery.com/our_brews.asp">Crooked Tree Double Crooked Tree IPA 1/6 barrel
Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale 1/2 barrel
*Left Hand Chainsaw 1/6 barrel
*New Holland Existential - Ale 1/6 barrel
Oaken Barrel Superfly IPA 1/2 barrel
Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale 2 x ½ barrels
Stone Ruination IPA 1/2 barrel
Two Brothers Heavy Handed 1/6 barrel

Imports
De Ranke XX Bitter 30 L
*Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor 2 x 1/6 barrels
Houblon Chouffe 2 x 20 L

Fallen Soldiers (some destined to double back)
*Allagash Hugh Malone Ale 1/6 barrel
BBC (Main & Clay) Dank IPA (firkin)
Boulder Mojo IPA 1/2 barrel
Browning’s Brewery She-Devil 1/2 barrel
Breckenridge 471 Double IPA 1 x 1/6 barrel gone, and another coming later
Clipper City Heavy Seas Hop 3 (cask-conditioned firkin)
Founders Centennial IPA 2 x 1/2 barrel
*Founders Harvest Ale 1/2 barrel
Founders Red’s Rye 1/2 barrel
NABC Fifth Anniversary (V) ½ barrel
NABC Oaked Croupier ¼ barrel
NABC Oaktimus 2 x ½ barrel
Rogue “John’s Locker Stock” Glen 2 x ½ barrels
*Schlafly Hop Harvest Ale 1/2 barrel
*Schlafly India Brown Ale ½ barrel
*Sierra Nevada Chico Estate Harvest Wet Hop Ale 1/2 barrel
*Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale 2 x 1/2 barrel
*Three Floyds Alpha Naught ½ barrel
*Victory Hop Wallop 1/2 barrel

Coming next (not necessarily in order)
*Alvinne Extra 1/6 barrel
*Browning’s Brewery Harvest Ale 1/2 barrel
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA 1/2 barrel
wordpress/2008/03/03/double-dead-guy-latest-beer-from-rogue-ales/">Rogue “John’s Locker Stock” Double Dead Guy 1/2 barrel

Reminder: Schlafly promo tonight.

On Monday night, October 20, Scott Shreffler, Nick Vickery, and Kent Householder from Schlafly in St. Louis, MO, will be hosting a Schlafly Promo Night at the Public House from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. There will be a drawing every 30 minutes for a bucket of Schlafly merchandise (t-shirt, hat, glassware, keychain, etc.) The drawings begin just after 6:00 p.m.

Lupulin Land selections Schlafly Hop Harvest Ale and Schlafly India Brown Ale will be on tap. Come by, press the flesh, have a few pints of hoppy ale and maybe win some schwag.

Welcome the 13 starters for Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming 2008.

Here's today's starting lineup for Lupulin Land 2008. When there's time (right), I'll append the identity of those to follow in each slot.

Microbrews
*Allagash Hugh Malone Ale 1/6 barrel
Breckenridge 471 Double IPA 2 x 1/6 barrel
Clipper City Heavy Seas Hop 3 (cask-conditioned firkin)
Founders Centennial IPA 2 x 1/2 barrel
*Founders Harvest Ale 1/2 barrel
NABC Fifth Anniversary (V) ½ barrel
NABC Oaked Croupier ¼ barrel
NABC Oaktimus 2 x ½ barrel
Rogue “John’s Locker Stock” Glen 2 x ½ barrels
*Sierra Nevada Chico Estate Harvest Wet Hop Ale 1/2 barrel
*Three Floyds Alpha Naught ½ barrel

Imports
De Ranke XX Bitter 30 L
Houblon Chouffe 2 x 20 L

Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming omnibus preview: PR, beer descriptions, links and schedule.

We’ll again be exceeding OSHA’s legal limits on IBU’s per square foot of floor space when Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming 2008 begins on Friday, October 17. It is our seventh harvest hop celebration, and the occasion for Kentuckiana’s hopheads to unite over a pint or two of America’s most bitter beer and to banish thoughts of abominations like Milwaukee’s Blech to the nether regions formerly reserved for silver-bulleted sinners, Miller Lite miscreants, and Auggie Busch’s backyard brunch chardonnay sippers

Lupulus Eroticus.

The American Heritage dictionary defines lupulin as the “minute yellowish-brown hairs obtained from the strobili of the hop plant, formerly used in medicine as a sedative.” The word lupulin is derived from the new Latin lupulus (hop species, a diminutive of the Latin lupus, hop plant, from lupus, wolf). Credit Pliny the Elder, and if you ever visit Russian River Brewing Co. in California, drink the beer named for him.

Or, more simply: Bitterness beats watery flaccidity any old day.

Contrary to persistent rumors - probably spread by the same people who still insist that Bock beer is the result of brewing vats being cleaned once a year in springtime - beer is not “made” from hops. Beer is “made” from barley, and sometimes wheat and oats and rye. In short, beer is brewed from grain. The body and color of beer derives from these grains, and the alcohol is but a calling card left by yeast happily snacking on sugars in the malt.

Hops act as the spice of beer. Hops balance the inherent, malty sweetness. Hops provide the seasoning. Hops cleanse the palate and leave you begging for more. Hops make it interesting, and perhaps healthy as well: According to researchers for Japan’s Kirin Brewery, isohumulones, agents of bittering in hops, may help curb the development of fat in the human body.

Misconceptions about hops are annoying, persistent and entirely understandable. If one is to judge by the non-flavor profile of America’s best-selling mainstream lagers, it is certain that the majority of beer drinkers in our purportedly great nation are suffering from severe lupulin deprivation. It’s way past time to reverse that trend … just as bitterness, aroma and flavor.

Trellis succulence: Now more than ever, there is no exit strategy.

It’s always difficult to predict which of the beers described herein will pour and when, as typically the juggling of late arrivals and handling of always temperamental firkins require last-minute improvisation. However, here’s the list of what we believe will be featured during Lupulin Land 2008. Look on the blackboards to see what’s pouring on a particular day.

The Clipper City Hop 3 firkin will lead off on Friday, to be followed when depleted by BBC's Dank IPA at some point next week.

Randall the Enamel Animal will be crawling out from his lair to modify a beer, but to be truthful, we haven't decided when this appearance can be expected.

On Monday night, October 20, Scott Shreffler, Nick Vickery, and Kent Householder from Schlafly in St. Louis, MO, will be hosting a Schlafly Promo Night in Prost from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. There will be a drawing every 30 minutes for a bucket of Schlafly merchandise (t-shirt, hat, glassware, keychain, etc.) Schlafly Hop Harvest and India Brown will be on tap. The drawings begin just after 6:00 p.m.

Alpha King, Arrogant Bastard, Bell's Two Hearted and Sierra Nevada Pale will be pouring as always, alongside whichever NABC ales (Elector, Hoptimus, et al) that are ready when the clock strikes 11 on Friday morning).

LUPULIN LAND 2008 GUEST MICROBREWS
* signifies a first-ever draft appearance

*Allagash Hugh Malone
English two-row malt and pale crystal, with Simcoe hops added during “first wort hopping” as it is pumped into the kettle. Warrior hops go in when the boil begins. More Simcoe hops for aroma go in the whirlpool, and are used for dry hopping. 8.5 % abv.

Bluegrass Brewing Company (Main & Clay)
Dank India Pale Ale
Firkin. Brewer David Pierce sezs: Dankology! American-Style India pale ale characterized by intense hop bitterness and high alcohol content. Anamount of Simcoe and Amarillo hops are added, resulting in a crisp beer. Dank is deep gold with a full, flowery hop aroma and a strong hop flavor (in addition to hop bitterness). India pale ale has a medium malt backbone and a full body.Malts: Cargill Special Pale, Dingemann's Aromatic and Caramunich. Lupulin Land Twist: Additional dry-hopping with Amarillo. 80 IBU; 8% abv.

Boulder Mojo IPA
Founded in 1979, Boulder Beer Company is Colorado’s oldest microbrewery, although Mojo IPA did not become part of the product line until (circa) 2003. Amarillo and Centennial hops; 6.8 abv.

Breckenridge 471 Double IPA
From the Colorado micro’s small batch “471” series, with Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe, and Fuggles. 70 IBUs, 9.2% abv.

*Browning’s Harvest Ale
As the program went to press, we learned that the Browning’s brewpub and Park Place restaurant has closed. Initial word from the Browning’s camp is that brewing will continue. Brewer Brian Reymiller says that his Harvest Ale has 7 malts and 7 hops, and was finished with maple syrup. 55 IBUs.

Browning’s She-Devil IPA
Reymiller’s training at Victory Brewing in Pennsylvania undoubtedly contributed to Louisville’s most talked about IPA in recent years … and the main reason why hopheads hope for the brewery’s continued existence.

Clipper City Loose Cannon Hop 3 Ale
Firkin. Taking a cue from Rogue’s I2PA, Hop 3 means “hop cubed.” English Pale, Carapils, and Munich malts provide underpinning, while Magnum, Centennial, Chinook, Amarillo and Palisade hops add zest. 7.25% abv.

Crooked Tree Double Crooked Tree IPA
The Michigan microbrewery does it the right way. Everything that goes into its “regular” IPA is doubled, except the water. The result is massive. 13.6% abv.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
At 9% abv and 90 IBUs, it should come as little surprise that a 12-oz serving boasts 294 calories. If that isn’t liquid bread, nothing is.

Founders Centennial IPA
As the name sensibly implies, expect abundant Centennial hops. There is a lower IBU count (48) than you might imagine in what amounts to a veritable “calibration” beer for American-style IPA.

*Founders Harvest Ale
Rave on-line reviews, but as yet, no chance to preview the draft version. I’ll be rectifying that first thing on Friday morning, October 17.

Founders Reds Rye
Ruby-red in color, thanks to four varieties of Belgian caramel malts. Malted rye adds bite. 100% Amarillo hops calculate to 68 IBUs, with 6.4% abv.

Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale
American-style Pale Ale brewed with “wet hops,” scheduled to be kegged in early October and boarding a truck soon after. With luck, we’ll have it ready for pouring by the end of October. Circa 5% abv.

*Left Hand Chainsaw “Double Sawtooth”
At 9% abv, Left Hand’s Chainsaw is the logical enhancement of its everyday Sawtooth. Northern Brewer and East Kent Goldings hops are featured.

NABC Fifth Anniversary
5 MALTS: Maris Otter, 2-row, Caramalt, Aromatic, Special B
5 HOPS: Simcoe, Saaz, Nugget, Galena, Centennial (80 IBUs)
YEAST: House London
Brewed in honor of NABc past, present and future. 5,555 second boil (92:35) and 5 hop additions. 10% abv

NABC Oaked Croupier
Dedicated to the workers at the Caesars Indiana riverboat casino in nearby Harrison County, and aged with oak chips. Circa 7.5% abv.

NABC Oaktimus
Oaktimus begins with Hoptimus, which is brewed with Simpson's Golden Promise malt; Northern Brewer, Fuggles and Cascades hops; and the house London yeast. Dry hopping with Fuggles and Cascades lends a West Coast feel to a powerful 9% double IPA, which we prefer consuming young and fiery, unless it is oak-aged, in which case Hoptimus becomes Oaktimus. It’s a different animal entirely, and as usual, one keg of it won’t last very long.

*New Holland Existential—Ale
The brewery promises “200 pounds per barrel ofAmerican-grown malted barley … 10 hop-strikes, totaling 37 ounces per barrel of American-grown hops.” That’s a start, isn’t it? 25.5 Plato, 10.5% abv.

Oaken Barrel Superfly IPA
Oaken Barrel is located in Greenwood, Indiana, which for us makes it the ideal stop before or after any journey to the state capital. It’s been a while since Superfly came to the Public House, but memories of Cascade goodness linger.

Rogue (John’s Locker Stock) Glen 2008
John Maier’s 4th edition of Glen again boasts Simpson Golden Promise as the base malt. Glen ’008 measures in at an original gravity of 18.1 Plato and 64 IBUs. Hops are Horizon, Simcoe and Amarillo for bittering, and Centennial for aroma.

Rogue (John’s Locker Stock) Double Dead Guy … “D2”
Rogue’s legendary John Maier explains: “D2 is the new reincarnation of our classic Dead Guy Ale. It is mahogany in color. It’s full bodied and has an amazing mid-palate richness of toffee and caramel. The hops are evident also, with just enough to keep the maltiness in check. Malts are 2 row, Munich and C15. Hops (boiling) Cascade, because I was out of Perle; aroma, Crystal (because I was out of sterling). 19.8 Plato; 4.9 Plato T.G.; 50-60 IBUs; circa 10% abv.”

*Schlafly Hop Harvest Ale
Our favorite St. Louis brewing company that isn’t owned by a multi-national Belgo-Brazilian conglomerate dry (wet?) hops this ale with freshly harvested Simcoe hops flown overnight from Hop Union, the famous hop merchant in Yakima, Washington.

*Schlafly India Brown Ale
Very little of this special edition ale made it out of St. Louis, and we saved our keg for Lupulin Land. Schlafly’s Tap Room brewer Brennan crafted India Brown to celebrate his marriage to Natasha. It’s brown in color, but hopped more like an IPA, especially in aroma, as it was dry hopped with Cascade and Willamette. 40 IBUs, 5.2% abv.

Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale
Last year at the ripe age of 27, Sierra Nevada released its Anniversary Ale nationally for the first time. Now it’s back. Two-row Pale, Caramel & Munich malts; Chinook (bittering) and Cascade (finishing and dry-hopping) hops; 46 IBUs and 5.9% abv.

*Sierra Nevada Chico Estate Harvest Wet Hop Ale
As an experiment, Sierra planted its own hop field on the brewery site. The local climate proved ideal, prompting another unique “wet hop” ale brewed with Chinook, Centennial and Cascade.

*Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale
Originally released in May, 2008, and using freshly harvested Pacific Hallertau, Motueka and Southern Cross hops from New Zealand. Consequently, SNSHHA is the first “fresh hop” ale to be available in the USA in spring. 66 IBUs and 6.7% abv.

Sierra Nevada Wet Hop Harvest Ale
Sierra’s pioneering “wet hop” ale, brewed with Centennial and Cascade, first passed the Publican’s lips twelve years ago at a brewers’ reception at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver … and I still look forward to it yearly. 60-65 IBUs and 6.7% abv.

Stone Ruination IPA
It’s time for a reality check when a 7.7% IPA with 100 IBU’s begins to seem meek by comparison to some recent entrants in the ever escalating “IPA multiples” competition … but it’s not passive at all, and not to be confused with fizzy yellow lawnmower beer.

*Three Floyds Alpha Naught
On-line reviews indicate that a previous batch of AN from 2004 leaned more in the direction of Barley Wine. This one, from earlier in 2008, is being described as a hop lover’s Double IPA panacea. We’ll know soon enough. Specs unavailable.

Two Brothers Heavy Handed IPA
Different “wet hops” are used in different batches, but as this program went to press, we hadn’t yet determined which variety was used in our allotment. It will be posted when gleaned.

*Victory Hop Wallop
Described by the great PA brewery as its annual homage to hops, with American whole hops and imported German malts suggesting a stepped-up Hop Devil. 8.5% abv.

IMPORTED BEERS

Our seventh assemblage of hop-laden draft beers once again is dominated by American microbrews, although many more hoppy “Old World” beer styles than ever before. Here are four from Belgium ...

*Alvinne Extra
From the 5-barrel brew house at the Picobrouwerij Alvinne near Ingelmunster comes this “restyled” Belgian-style IPA with Chinook and Amarillo hops. 8% abv.

De Ranke XX Bitter
XX’s outspoken importer, Dan Shelton, has the last word: “You might say this beer is Orval with everything turned up to 11, which is exactly what the brewers were seeking.”

*Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor
"Hopsinjoor" is a pun for the four different hops used (Golding, Spalt, Hallertau and Saaz) and local Mechelen folklore in the form of the "opsinjoor" character. 8% abv.

Houblon Chouffe
Belgian beers aren’t hoppy? A new generation of Belgians are brewing well outside the stylistic box, and who better to lead the charge than the humble Ardennes gnome?

LINKS AND QUANTITIES

*Allagash Hugh Malone Ale 1/6 barrel
BBC (Main & Clay) Dank IPA (firkin)
Boulder Mojo IPA 1/2 barrel
Breckenridge 471 Double IPA 2 x 1/6 barrel
*Browning’s Brewery Harvest Ale 1/2 barrel
Browning’s Brewery She-Devil 1/2 barrel
Clipper City Heavy Seas Hop 3 (firkin)
horsebrewery.com/our_brews.asp">Crooked Tree Double Crooked Tree IPA 1/6 barrel
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA 1/2 barrel
Founders Centennial IPA 2 x 1/2 barrel
*Founders Harvest Ale 1/2 barrel
Founders Red’s Rye 1/2 barrel
Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale
*Left Hand Chainsaw 1/6 barrel
NABC Fifth Anniversary (V) ½ barrel
NABC Oaked Croupier ¼ barrel
NABC Oaktimus 2 x ½ barrel
*New Holland Existential - Ale 1/6 barrel
Oaken Barrel Superfly IPA 1/2 barrel
wordpress/2008/03/03/double-dead-guy-latest-beer-from-rogue-ales/">Rogue “John’s Locker Stock” Double Dead Guy 1/2 barrel
Rogue “John’s Locker Stock” Glen 2 x ½ barrels
*Schlafly Hop Harvest Ale 1/2 barrel
*Schlafly India Brown Ale ½ barrel
Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale 2 x ½ barrels
*Sierra Nevada Chico Estate Harvest Wet Hop Ale 1/2 barrels
Sierra Nevada Harvest Wet Hop Ale 2 x ½ barrels
*Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale 1/2 barrel
Stone Ruination IPA 1/2 barrel
*Three Floyds Alpha Naught ½ barrel
Two Brothers Heavy Handed 1/6 barrel
*Victory Hop Wallop 1/2 barrel

*Alvinne Extra 1/6 barrel
De Ranke XX Bitter 30 L
*Gouden Carolus Hopsinjoor 2 x 1/6 barrels
Houblon Chouffe 2 x 20 L

Bitter Like Us: 2008 Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming begins this Friday, October 17.

With Fringe Fest put to rest until 2009, I've finally had the time to organize our seventh annual Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming, which rolls out of the gate on Friday, Oct. 17.

As always, the idea is to tap roughly 11 of the kegs at once, then bring on another wave of hop-laden wonders when the first is drained. Prices and pour sizes vary. The opening lineup will be revealed as soon as I decide what it's going to be (i.e., we await a delivery or two).

The basics follow.

The Beers
Here's the place to see what's in store: Updated Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming beer list.

Hand Pull
The Clipper City Hop 3 firkin will lead off on Friday, to be followed when depleted by BBC's Dank IPA at some point next week.

Randallization
Randall the Enamel Animal will be crawling out from his lair to modify a beer, but to be truthful, we haven't decided when this appearance can be expected.

Schlafly Promo
On Monday night, October 20, Scott Shreffler, Nick Vickery, and Kent Householder from Schlafly in St. Louis, MO, will be hosting a Schlafly Promo Night in Prost from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. There will be a drawing every 30 minutes for a bucket of Schlafly merchandise (t-shirt, hat, glassware, keychain, etc.) Schlafly Hop Harvest and India Brown will be on tap. The drawings begin just after 6:00 p.m.

Fringe Fest and Harvest Homecoming views from Friday.

We're trying to have things rolling by 12 Noon today. To be honest, I've not had time to organize the cheese tasting, so Sam -- if you're reading this -- it may be the two of us having a nice lunch.




Not to forget the other venues around downtown ... the Windsor's nice patio bar, pork chops, and the reopening of Connor's Place.




Thanks again to all the visitors the past two nights, especially those who've said to me, "Finally, a reason to hang out at Harvest Homecoming." That means a lot to all of us at NABC.

NABC Fringe Fest underway ... prime time today and tomorrow.

NABC's first ever Fringe Fest got underway Thursday afternoon, and we're quite happy with the turnout on opening night. Given the perfect weather, all of New Albany's annual Harvest Homecoming celebration seemed to be thriving on what normally would be a slower day.

Local readers should note that Dave Himmel's bar, Connor's Place, has reopened on Market Street opposite his Fish House. I'll try to swing by and snap a few digitals later today. The Windsor also has a nice set-up both inside the courtyard and outside in a tent. I wasn't able to make it past Studio's yesterday, but I'm sure Trish has something special happening during Harvest Homecoming. And, on State Street, the Speakeasy is open during the fest, too.





Thanks to everyone who came out last evening. We're back in action today at 1:00 p.m.

See this posting at NAC for the topic of the day: A year later ...