Louisville Loves Mountains, with local craft beer: Friday, May 17.

This has become one of the NABC brew crew's favorite annual events, because very rarely is there so direct a visceral connection between social activism and what actually matters about craft beer. Both urge us to act locally even as we think globally. Read the whole story at the NABC web site.

Louisville Loves Mountains, with local craft beer: Friday, May 17

NABC is teaming with our friends at Against the Grain and BBC to provide the beer concession for Louisville Loves Mountains on Friday, May 17. Here’s the official press release.

With RiverRoots drawing near, here's the NABC beer list for the fest.

It’s almost time for RiverRoots, the annual music and folk arts festival on the banks of the Ohio in historic Madison, Indiana.

It takes place on Friday and Saturday nights, May 17 and 18, and for the eighth year running (actually, since the fest’s inception), NABC will be on hand to share beer vending duties with craft-brewing Hoosier friends: NABC’s lineup at RiverRoots 2013.

Hard Core Gore Day is Thursday, March 21.

The 2013 batch of Hard Core Gore, NABC's tribute to Jason Gore, debuts this Thursday (March 21). For more, go here:

Hard Core Gore Day is Thursday, March 21.

Bonfire of the Valkyries arrives on Tuesday, February 26, at NABC's two New Albany locations.

The annual seasonal release of NABC's Bonfire of the Valkyries is Tuesday, February 26, when it will be on tap at Bank Street Brewhouse and the Pizzeria & Public House. As with Solidarity Baltic Porter before it, 22-oz bomber availability for Bonfire in 2013 will be limited to the two NABC locations. A small amount of draft probably will be available for outside accounts.

Bonfire of the Valkyries
Imperial Smoked Black Lager
ABV: 8% … IBU: 10

Color: Dark brown/black.

Flavor: Full bodied, with strong, clean dark lager malt character and ample smokiness.

Compare to: Bonfire is an utterly unique Imperial Smoked Black Lager, but it compares with Smoked Porters from Alaskan, Stone, etc.

NABC at the 6th Annual Cincy Winter Beerfest, Feb. 15 and 16.

For the first time, New Albanian Brewing Company will be represented at the Cincy Winter Beerfest. I experienced it last year, and it's a blast. What should you be drinking? Ian tells you, here.

My understanding is that Black & Blue Grass, Elector and Hoptimus will be available at the Cavalier Ohio area. Not coincidentally, these are the three brands we're shipping in bomber bottles to Ohio. They'll be followed by a roster of seasonals. Here is the plan:

Core NABC lineup in Ohio
Black & Blue Grass
Elector
Hoptimus

2013 NABC Seasonals in Ohio
Naughty Girl (2nd quarter)
Tunnel Vision (3rd quarter)
Naughty Claus (4th quarter)

2014 NABC Seasonals in Ohio
Solidarity (1st quarter)
Bonfire of the Valkyries (1st quarter bonus release)

Inquiries about NABC: Direct them to me ... roger(at)newalbanian(dot)com


Inquiries about Ohio: See http://cavbeer.com/ for contact information

This year's Bloomington Craft Beer Festival is on Saturday, April 13. Tickets are on sale now.

The Brewers of Indiana Guild notes that its 2013 Winterfest sold out quickly this year, and so sales already have started for the third edition of the Bloomington Craft Beer Festival, coming on a new date in 2013: Saturday, April 13.

For more information, and to purchase tickets on line, click here.

The historic Woolery Mill again will provide a beautiful and uniquely Hoosier setting for the Bloomington Craft Beer Festival on April 13. Beer just seems to taste better in the presence of limestone ... Music will be provided by the Secret B-Sides, from Asheville, North Carolina, and 220 Breakers, a Bloomington band. Indiana brewers will be joined by a select group of out-of-state breweries. Doors open to VIPs at 3 p.m., with general admission at 4 p.m.

Following are links to coverage of the 2011 and 2012 gigs.


2011:

Yesterday's inaugural Bloomington Craft Beer Festival.

2012:

Just move it inside.

Coming soon to a Hoosier legislature near you: Sunday alcohol sales, with huge question mark attached ...

Sikich's overview is one of the best I've read, given that  "booze on Sunday" in America is more totem for tribalism than topic for dispassionate discussion. The author duly notes the Sunday exceptions for Indiana's breweries and wineries. I might add that while the Brewers of Indiana Guild has interest in a few bits of legislation possibly being considered in 2013, this isn't one of them.

As a guild director, believe me when I say that we have our own side of the street to work -- and we're doing so. This particular issue isn't our fight.

Speaking personally, part of me is eternally annoyed that "moral" considerations as defined by religious interests should be a part of the Sunday equation. Another part entirely understands that small independent business will suffer if big boxes go into Sunday sales. I'm forever willing to sock it to the preachers and health fascists, and at the same time, giving an inch to mega-retail is odious to my own inner moral structure.

When I'm declared dictator, it's an easy call: Let the indie package stores open if they wish, and keep the chains shut. Then again, some might say I'm an extremist. In the end, Senator Alting probably is right: Change will be incremental, in bits and pieces, because such hesitancy truly reflects a state of division.

Need I add: Support your local breweries and wineries. That's the best solution, and it beats the Silver Bullet every damned time.

Sunday liquor sales battle brewing: An effort is afoot to change Indiana's law, but owners of liquor stores say the move would be devastating, by Chris Sikich (IndyStar)

Indiana is the toughest place in the nation to buy take-home beer or liquor on Sundays.

While most states limit Sunday alcohol sales in some ways, Hoosiers face the broadest restrictions.

Indiana prohibits Sunday sales of beer, wine and liquor at grocery and packaged liquor stores. Connecticut lifted a similar ban in May, leaving Indiana standing alone.

The longtime ban has remained in place for religious and economic reasons. And though it has been eroded somewhat in recent years, state lawmakers trying to do away with the ban this year aren't hopeful.

NABC's beer lineup at Winterfest in Indianapolis, coming on Saturday, January 26.

NABC will be featuring the following beers at the Brewers of Indiana Guild (BIG) Winterfest 2013, which takes place at the State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis on Saturday, January 26. At this point in time, all on-line ticket sources have sold out, although there still may be some at various establishments in Indianapolis.

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DRAFT

Dirty Squirrel
Belgian Black Ale
ABV: 8.5% … IBU: 69

Color: Deep brownish-red to black.

Flavor: Full bodied. Fruity Belgian esters alter a flavor similar to that of Porter, but too hoppy to be Porter.

Compare to: unique; no commercial examples.

Hoosier Daddy

Crimson & Cream Ale

ABV: 7% ... IBU: 35

Color: Reddish/brown.

Flavor: Medium-bodied, with overall balance favoring malt, and a slightly sweet edge.

Compare to: Unique, but much closer to the idea of an Imperial Red Ale than Elector (which it vaguely resembles).

Old Lightning Rod

Colonial Dark Ale

ABV: 7.5% … IBU: 26

Color: Dark brown to black.

Flavor: Medium- to full-bodied, sweetish and malt-heavy. Distinctive flavor comes from molasses and sorghum.

Compare to: No commercial examples, but OLR is in the same flavor range as darker, sweeter beers like Wee Heavy, Doppelbock and some higher-gravity Belgians.

Propagator Doppelbock 2012

Bavarian Doppelbock

ABV: 7.5% … IBU: 20

Color: Dark brown.

Flavor: Full-bodied and rich German malt impression.  

Compare to: Celebrator, Optimator, Salvator.

Holly King (non-barrel-aged Replicale)

English-style Winter Warmer

ABV: 7.5% … IBU: 40

Color: Brown.

Flavor: Medium– to full-bodied. Use of Boddington’s English yeast yields smooth nutty and biscuity flavors.

Compare to:  Samuel Smith Winter Welcome

CASK-CONDITIONED FIRKINS

Beak’s Best (dry hopped)

Anglo-American Ale

ABV: 5.3% ... IBU: 35

Color: Amber/orange.

Flavor: Light- to medium-bodied, with citrusy American finishing hop character.

Compare to: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and other American Pale Ales; also some ESBs (Redhook, Fuller’s).

Naughty Girl (double dry-hopped)

India Blonde Ale

ABV: 6% ... IBU: 69

Color: Golden-to-amber.

Flavor: Medium-bodied. Restrained Belgian fruitiness. Assertive hopping, but falling well short of Hoptimus levels.

Compare to: A hoppy Belgian blonde ale, and unique.