Cooking classes and much food, close to us at BSB.

The cooking classes mentioned in the press release for "Class with Chef" will take place at Destinations Booksellers, just a few blocks east of Bank Street Brewhouse.

Class with Chef: The official press release.

Coincidentally, Randy and Ann are rethinking their bookstore space in much the same way as NABC is rethinking its Bank Street Brewhouse layout. They are looking to meld books, learning and instruction into a third space.

We're eliminating the expense of a restaurant, and focusing on brewing and using beer as the accompaniment in common with a diverse range of events and happenings.

By the way, downtown New Albany is a food court, and we have beers of proven merit to accompany nearby cuisine. Bring food with you, as discussed here:

My new favorite downtown New Albany dish is ...

Destinations Booksellers: Sculpture and Design With Recycled Glass proceeds going to support New Albany Public Art Project Bicentennial Series.

(Read about the decommissioning fest events at Bank Street Brewhouse on October 28)

Leticia Bajuyo's sculpture "Brew History: All Bottled Up" is featured in the new book, Sculpture and Design With Recycled Glass, by Cindy Ann Coldiron, from Schiffer Publishing, the leading publisher of arts, crafts, and collectible books. This book releases the same day and will be available for purchase at the venues. We're sure Leticia will be happy to discuss her work and to autograph copies on request. The book does sell for $49.99, with $10 of the purchase price going to support the New Albany Public Art Project: Bicentennial Series.

This month also happens to be the 7th anniversary of Destinations Booksellers coming to New Albany. Our doors opened on Oct. 18, 2004 and our first official sale in New Albany took place on Nov. 1, 2004. In celebration of New Albany finally getting an independent business alliance, Destinations Booksellers is holding a "New Albany First" sale from Oct. 18 through Nov. 1. And keep your eyes and ears open for details of this year's Holiday Fest Readathon, which in 2011 will benefit the programs of New Albany First.

http://www.facebook.com/newalbanybooks

Books with frites, this Saturday (29th) at Destinations Booksellers and Bank Street Brewhouse.

Randy "Destinations" Smith lays out the occasion and the deal in the following passage from his daily blog, NewAlbanyBooks. Books, frites and beer are three things that inform my life, so check it out.

wordpress.com/2011/01/25/books-that-changed-our-lives-plus-how-books-and-pommes-frites-go-together/">Books That Changed Our Lives (plus: How Books and Pommes Frites Go Together)

Join us Saturday, Jan. 29, at 4 p.m. as we welcome Gary Yeagle and Marlene Mitchell, local authors who have collaborated on a new book series, The Smoky Mountain Murders. Their new novel, Seasons of Death, is published by our friend Dave Mattingly at Blackwyrm Publishing, and it’s already drawing great interest within our patron base. So many of us feel as if we know the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (I practically grew up there) that the idea of a murder mystery set there seems perfectly natural.

In partnership with another NewAlbanyFirst pioneer, we’ll be offering a pick-your-own discount on the day of the event. If you dine at Bank Street Brewhouse on Saturday before the author event, bring your receipt to the signing and we’ll give you $2 off the $15.95 price of the book. If you prefer, come to the event and then join the authors for libations and/or dinner at Bank Street Brewhouse, 415 Bank St., New Albany. Chef Josh has promised a discount on that establishment’s amazing pommes frites, frenched potatoes double-fried in the Flemish style, accompanied by some of the most mouth-watering dipping sauces you’ve ever imagined. BSB is a non-smoking restaurant/brasserie, and the whole gang there is looking forward to hosting the authors and their friends starting around 5:30 p.m.

Of course, the region’s finest craft beers, local wines, and independently produced spirits are available, also. If you follow the @NewAlbanyBooks Twitter feed, you can find out that day’s specials on Saturday, too.

Rita Kohn and "True Brew" in NA on August 7th. Buy it, she signs it, and we'll all enjoy a Progressive Pint.

"True Brew: A Guide to Craft Beer in Indiana" is a wonderful account written by a fascinating lady (and prolific writer). Rita's testimony was central as "Sunday growler" legislation progressed. Not a politician dared contradict her, and it was inspiring. Here's Rita, photographed by me earlier this summer during a brewers guild meeting at the Broad Ripple Brewing Company. The proud author poses with an advance copy of her book.

Rita will be in town on the 7th to autograph, discuss and help sell copies of her book. The appearance is courtesy of Destinations Booksellers, with whom NABC is promoting it. We decided to do it at Bank Street Brewhouse for a very simple reason: What good is a book about beer, without beer? Trust me when I say that even if you don't like beer, you'll want to come and meet Rita.

Rita's book has inspired me to try my hand at an extended volume, perhaps collected essays. How's this for a title: "Everything You Know About Beer Is Wrong."

Or, "Lite Never Makes Right."

My liver's suing for separate maintenance -- again.

Once again, the weekend is packed with events and items of note, most of them taking place in and around New Albany.

I'm told that the new Dueling Grounds Cafe is open for patronage in advance of tomorrow's bigger event, the 5th Anniversary of Destinations Booksellers on Sunday, October 18. For some of you, there'll be time for Bloody Marys on the Bank Street patio before the book 'n' coffee fete, but the Curmudgeons will pass on tomato juice in favor of goat cheese: Capriole Farm's Fall Open House in Greenville. Both surface temps and foliage should be grand, and there'll be wine from Oliver Winery in Bloomington.

In other weekend event news, Lupulin Land Harvest Hopcoming is under way at NABC's Public House & Pizzeria, and the BBC Taproom (Main & Clay in downtown Louisville) is staging its Volksfest today. For the latter, Clay Street is shut down, and there is a roster of draft Oktoberfests as well as appearances by Louisville metro breweries (NABC will have Hoptimus on hand).

As a final note, the NABC staff made a lunchtime sales call to the new Wick's on State yesterday (Friday), and when we left at 12:25 p.m., I counted 95 customers dining in or carrying out. That's very impressive, especially since we'll have Elector on tap there at some point early in the coming week.

Last Week in Review

By John Campbell

OK, OK. I get it. I am a lousy, inconsistent blogger and a poor substitute for the man himself. Please stop the harassing e-mails and personal messages to my social networking accounts (although I did like this one: "You were steady for a while last week, but nothing since Monday. What the fuck?"). Well, today turned out to be a "work" day, so I might as well keep up the momentum.

Here's what's been happening in Roger's absence:

In preparation for our impending beer distribution to corners far and wide, Gregg Rochman and I took a trip to meet New Albanian's potential Indiana distributor, World Class Beverage. Sitting down with Jim Schembre (the man behind the WCB mission) is always an educational experience and this session was not a disappointment. WCB seems to be a better choice than Indiana's other highly-reputed distributor, Cavalier, but it's only the second inning. Meanwhile, we've already selected River City (shown below) as our Louisville distributors.

River City's Ryan Burke and John Harris living large at last year's BBC/New Albanian Volksfest

Since we're on the subject of distribution and snotty messages to my personal accounts...No. I have not done away with Roger in order to take over the Potable Curmudgeon. I do not enjoy writing anymore (ok, I kinda do, but still, no).

I don't know how he maintains this blog in addition to his regular columns for the Tribune, LEO, and Food & Dining, and has time for the little things like, you know, building a brewery.

So, yes, he is enjoying a much needed vacation, but it doesn't mean he stops working. I have proof that he is alive, still writing, and working diligently for the cause. Here's the message I received from the Commandante this morning:

Greetings

Yesterday I was introduced to Mikkel, i.e., the fellow behind Mikkeller
beers. He runs an off premise specialty beer shop with his brother in
downtown Copenhagen, has an importing company so that he can bring in the beers he wants, and also brews his own at various sites. You can look them
up on Rate Beer or Beer Advocate.

We sampled the Oatgoop he brewed at Three Floyds, and it was excellent.
While Kim and I were shopping the unbelievable selection, he took my
business card and googled NABC, emerging to ask when he could begin
selling Thunderfoot in Denmark.

I said as soon as we get it in giant cans, which thrilled him. So, we have
an account here as soon as we can supply it.

See, I told you they're 'working' trips.

NABC, soon to come to Louisvile, Indiana and Copenhagen.

R
And there you have it.

Also in last week's news, Destinations Booksellers, located just a block from the Bank Street Brewhouse, hosted a public poetry slam last Wednesday night with the wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Reservoir Dogwoods.


Everything else is plugging along nicely. David and Jesse have the giant, drive-in keg cooler fully assembled, brewery construction continues, Jared is brewing strong at the Plaza Drive location and just released Jenever, our light-bodied, summer rye. We blew through two kegs in the first two days. It is now on tap at both New Albanian locations and at The Windsor on Market and Bank in Downtown New Albany.

Bob Ostrander, founder of Indanabeer.com, (below) showed his fuzzy face at the Bank Street Brewhouse on Friday afternoon for a pint of Pheonix and some mussels before heading to the north side compound formerly known as Rich O's for the real throw down.


Saturday, I took the day off. I did, however, spend some time rummaging through photos of the Bank Street project. Here's one from this time last year:


Today, I spent the afternoon at the Capriole Farm pouring healthy samples of Community Dark and Elector during their annual open house. Capriole is the second most serene place in which I've been fortunate enough to spend an afternoon. Last year Roger, Diana, and I attended the event and dined on fine cheeses and salad greens picked that very morning. I was a bit sad to be going on my own this year, but an afternoon at Capriole isn't complete without a New Albanian Ale.

To my surprise, nearly the entire Bank Street Brewhouse staff showed up with brewer Jared (below) and Chef Josh. A great way to end another week as a New Albanian.


Be warned, Denmark. we're coming your way.