Newspaper recognizes local "suds-selling savants." Next, it's a pink slip for headline writers.

Previously my reaction to RateBeer's annual list was dissected, though this feature in the local newspaper's entertainment insert focuses more on Keg Liquors.

It's worth a read, but the headline ... peee-you.

The full article can be read at issuu:

Crafting a Culture: Local suds-selling savants recognized statewide, by Matt Koesters (News and Tribune)

Don't forget that the 2016 Keg Liquors Fest of Ale will move to the waterfront in New Albany.

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Intellectual property: RateBeer recognizes NABC's Pizzeria & Public House.

It has been pointed out to me by the estimable Sergio Ribenboim that yet again in 2015, for the roughly the umpteenth time, NABC's Pizzeria & Public House was declared Indiana's best brewpub by the RateBeer aggregator. Out here in limbo, this revelation prompts a curious chain reaction in my noggin.

I've spent the past few years dismissing this result as an anomaly. It's a simple numerically-based observation, not contrarian modesty, for it seems likely that the weight of ratings awarded on the basis of the Public House’s former reputation as a multi-tap/specialty beer bar probably always has tipped the scales in the "brewpub" rankings.

In other words, they were voting for the guest Jolly Pumpkin, and not the house Jaxon.

At the same time, I'd be lying like a Ted Cruz if I were to deny a sense of vindication each year when the rankings are announced, especially now, during a period of (shall we say) business value determination.

First, permit me remind everyone that being the best at anything, for any reason, as decided in any way, certainly involves far more than just one person’s input, so let the wider credit go to everyone who every worked at NABC, and keeps the business viable as time passes.

At the same time, Yankee Stadium was called the "House That Ruth Built" for a very good reason. In the 1920s, when Babe Ruth was confronted with the fact that he'd earned more money than then-president Herbert Hoover, Ruth was unabashed.

"I had a better year than him."

Precisely. He put the Yanks on the map. Given the nature of ratings aggregators, averages and percentages, The Pizzeria & Public House’s continued presence on such a list during a time when so many places in Indiana “do” beer so much better than ever before testifies to longevity, and in turn longevity is inseparable from the founding concepts.

It isn’t braggadocio for me to observe that a fair amount of that longevity and founding concepts originated with me. It was my doing. It meant something then, and it still does now. From Gravity Head through the Red Room … there is certifiable value to intellectual property, isn’t there?

Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designers; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.

In 2016, I’m happy to admit that RateBeer’s 2015 inclusion makes me happy. It proves something, whether about value or values -- and whether I like it or not, that's where my head currently is at.

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Louisville "craft" beer folks pick their 2015 favorites.

I considered making a year-end list of some sort, but it made me think of Thrillist, and who wants to begin the year by vomiting?

The reporter Mann perseveres, and offers a tasty overview.

Our growing craft beer scene makes it harder to pick a favorite — but we tried, by David A. Mann (Louisville Business First)

Louisville's beer scene continued to grow in 2015, both with new breweries and with new releases from our existing brewers hitting the market.

With so many Louisville-made brands now out there, it's tough to pick a favorite. But recently I tapped a few industry leaders for their thoughts on the subject.

Todd Antz of Keg Liquors had good things to say about Against the Grain, Akasha and NABC.

 ... Antz also enjoyed Akasha, saying its gose-style beer is spot-on. "Light and refreshing with just a touch of tartness," he said.

"I also like some of the tweaks that (brewer) Josh Hill at New Albanian[Brewing Co.] is doing with their beers. He changed up a few ingredients on their Elector [amber/red ale], and it really revitalized the beer."

NABC scored another year-end mention in Louisville Magazine, where actor Andy Gaukel selected the 5" roundhouse deep-dish pizza as part of his "perfect last meal."

You can view his choices here.

Saturnalia MMXV at the Pizzeria & Public House, beginning on Friday, November 27.

It looks like Eric Gray has the beer lineup locked down for Saturnalia MMXV, and I'd expect no less. He's been doing the procurement for more than five years, ever since I shifted focus and began spending all of my time at Bank Street Brewhouse. When it comes to the guest lineup at the Pizzeria & Public House, it hasn't been about me for a while, and Eric deserves the credit.

When Tony Beard's stellar poster appeared on Facebook, I received a message from regular reader S, who asked if there'll be a .pdf-format program for this year's Saturnalia.

I don't have an answer for this question. It would appear that one element of my transition toward civilian status has been the removal of administrator privileges at Fb and the web site, and so I don't know what's being planned.

However, although the beers won't be the same as in 2015, you can read about the background of Saturnalia at the 2014 program link, which remains active.

Anstich keg time again! Franconian lager at the Public House, this afternoon.

This weekend marks the annual return to the Public House of Anstich kegs from Germany.

These are 20-liter, gravity-feed kegs with no CO2 used to push the beer. They're filled at small breweries in Franconia, and shipped by Shelton Brothers to Starlight Distribution in as timely a fashion as possible. We've always found the beer to be remarkably fresh.

Just as in Franconia, we set an Anstich keg on the counter behind the bar, punch a hole in the top, and use a rubber mallet to insert a tap at the bottom. Once tapped, the 40 half-liter glasses of beer therein must be consumed forthwith, or the remainder will go flat.

There are six Anstich kegs to be tapped between Today (October 16) and Halloween, with tappings taking place at 3:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Friday, October 16th: Weissenohe Altfränkisch Klosterbier

Saturday October 17th: Bayer Landbier

Roger Baylor's $21 at 55 Birthday Party Fundraiser on Monday, August 3.

For those just tuning in, I am running for mayor of New Albany as an independent candidate ... and there's a birthday coming up. I'm rolling them together.

Roger Baylor's $21 at 55 Birthday Party Fundraiser (on Fb)

Please don't bring a gift to my 55th birthday party at the Public House on August 3. Rather, pack a $20 and a $1 (or the equivalent) as a recommended donation to my mayoral campaign. I hate to be crass, but honesty is a rare virtue in political circles, and yes, we need a few bucks to mount the campaign.

I have resolved to forego big-dollar PAC money and unregulated "soft" slush funds from afar -- and it's a good thing I did, because no one's offered any of it to me, anyway. If you can't make it on the 3rd, kindly permit me to direct your attention to our Square portal, where small donations to the campaign can be made.

Shift to Baylor

Thank you for your support. On the 3rd, the usual food and drink options will be available for those wishing to dine, or just come for a chat. If you're short on cash, don't worry. COME ANYWAY.

See you on the 3rd.

SkippyFoot Peanut Butter WeeFoot Stout: Now on tap at the Pizzeria & Public House (only).

I keep trying to tell you that the leave of absence is serious, and I'm really running for mayor of New Albany, and I don't know what in the hell's going on at work.

Case in point: SkippyFoot (Peanut Butter WeeFoot Stout). I was only vaguely aware of this being in the pipeline, and now it's on tap at the Pizzeria & Public House only. I'm planning on going over there tomorrow to pick up some "pay packet" (pizza and growlers), and will have a taste then.

There will be a report.

NABC's FOOTED STOUT SERIES has been a staple for a while now. I believe these are the ones we've brewed to date, but I may have missed one.

ClovenFoot (seasonal)
Belgian Stout
ABV: 7.2% … IBU: 33
Color: Black.
Flavor: Medium- to full-bodied. Belgian yeast provides fruitiness to compete with the roast.
Compare to: Hercule; Buffalo Belgian Stout.

QuakerFoot (October - March)
Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 5.7%
IBU: 26
Color: Black.
Flavor: Medium-to full-bodied, with roasty Sweet Stout character made silky by the use of oatmeal.
Compare to: Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout.

ThunderFoot (seasonal)
Imperial Stout
ABV: 10% … IBU: 90
Color: Black.
Flavor: Full-bodied, malty but not overly sweet, with intensely malty, darkly fruity flavors (including a wee hint of cherry).
Compare to: Stone Russian Imperial Stout, Founders Imperial Stout, other more alcoholic Imperial Stouts.

WeeFoot (April - September)
American Stout
ABV: 5%
IBU: 48
Color: Just shy of black.
Flavor: Light- to medium-bodied. Roasty-dry in the mouth.
Compare to: Guinness and Irish-style Stouts, and also lower gravity American Stouts.

A shout-out to the employees at NABC's Pizzeria & Public House.

The following is a reprint of a short piece I posted to the NABC company website. For obvious reasons, it seems worth repeating here.

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And here is WHY you should cross the Ohio for the NABC Pizzeria & Public House.

As longtime NABC fans know, we seldom become engaged in the more ephemeral manifestations of social media — voting, click bait and seemingly endless lists.

However, I’m making an exception for this list, not so much because NABC’s Pizzeria & Public House comes in at number one, but because being number one illustrates the pride, hard work and professionalism of our employees, who quite simply rock, and have been rocking full-tilt for almost 28 years.

They’re the best, and so are our customers. Thanks to all of you for helping to create and perpetuate the NABC community. Here’s the link.

11 Reasons Louisvillians Should Cross the Ohio for Indiana, by Colleen O’Leary (Impulcity)

Pizza and beer – what more could you want in life? Not just any beer, either. New Albanian Brewing Company has become a legend in the region, and for good reason.

“We’re Only in It for the Money”: Gravity Head 2015 cashes in with headliner Against the Grain on February 27.

Here is a first look at NABC art-guy-in-residence Tony Beard's design for the Gravity Head 2015 logo.

Gravity Head 2015 is the 17th spectacle in a series that began in 1999. This year, the theme is "We're Only in It for the Money," and Louisville's Against the Grain Brewery will open the show on Friday morning, February 27, with a headlining multi-tap breakfast lineup.

There’ll be another Gravity Head Sunday Sunrise Brunch at Bank Street Brewhouse on March 1, with food and beers to be announced, and the traditional Flat12/Founders/NABC wave on Gravity Head's Third Friday (March 13, 2015).

The most recent web site. update is Friday, January 9. There are 41 draft listings so far, including the Against the Grain contingent.

We’ll be aiming for 50 selections, and as you can see, the slots are filling quickly. Check back, and there'll be occasional reminders. We also reserve the right to pull certain kegs and save them for next year if numbers become to unwieldy.

Have mercy ... Lew's been waiting for the bus all day.

Not really; just 45 minutes each way.

It isn't for the purpose of name-dropping that I mention drinking a few beers with Lew Bryson yesterday afternoon.

Lew flew into Louisville with a relatively brief window of opportunity for having a drink with me. Early on, he mentioned a bus to Bank Street Brewhouse, and upon learning that BSB is closed on Monday, replied that the same bus serviced the Pizzeria & Public House.

I'm not sure what I thought he meant by bus, but I wasn't interpreting it literally, at least until I drove over to the Pizzeria & Public House to meet him, and learned that Louisville's Transit Authority of River City (TARC) does in fact run buses connecting both our locations, and do so in a roughly timely fashion. Lew got on the bus in front of the 21C Museum Hotel and got off in front of the Grant Line Road Kroger ... drank four pints of beer ... and then reversed the process.

There's something pleasingly sessionable and egalitarian about all this. Now Lew has to work (i.e., drink bourbon) for a few days, but his lesson in public transportation is much appreciated, and I must reluctantly discard my defunct 15-year-old anecdote about taking the 2.5-hour-long, one-way bus -- actually three buses with two separate half-hour layovers -- from Grant Line Road to Bluegrass Brewing Company in St. Matthews.

Covering all the Gravity Head 2014 bases.

Last Saturday on Day Two of Gravity Head 2014, Pattie's and Larry's crazed Daytonans hatched a plot to surprise Larry by wearing bib overalls to their Public House session. Larry always wears overalls, and the last couple of years, so have I. This time it was a mass craze. In the photo above, taken by my esteemed missus, you'll see a non-Daytonan in the upper right of the view. It's Joey Burns, former assistant brewer (to Michael Borchers) when NABC first began brewing in 2002. Joey knew nothing about the Overall Conspiracy, but was delighted to join in on it.

Aching feet, pounding heads: NABC's event schedule for the remainder of June.

During the course of the year, there are three primary NABC businesses: The Pizzeria & Public House (3312 Plaza Drive); Bank Street Brewhouse (415 Bank Street); and the combined brewing operation occurring at both locations.

As the following list illustrates, in summertime a fourth whole effort gears up. It's the all-purpose umbrella title of "events season," which requires quite a lot of planning and manpower. It includes setting up accounts at venues (Dubois County Bombers, Derby City Roller Girls); catering (Bicentennial Park concert series, last week's Culbertson Mansion Garden Party); and pouring samples at beer geek gatherings (Fishers on Tap).

The list doesn't include hosting my 35th high school reunion on Friday the 28th at Bank Street Brewhouse, or the music we're planning at Lloyd's Landing (at BSB) beginning on June 29th.

NABC now has more than 60 full- and part-time employees working at their various jobs at our on-premise locations, and during events season, it takes each of them to accomplish all of the event commitments -- some by holding the bricks 'n' mortar forts, others by volunteering to stage or pour. We manage to keep most of the balls in the air. It could not be done without our workers, so cheers to them.

Now through the end of June:

NABC at this summer’s Bicentennial Concert Series, on Fridays from June 7 through August

Once again, NABC is on tap for Dubois County Bombers home games, all season long

June 8 & 9: Elector & Tafel at the 7th Annual Art on the Parish Green

NABC’s lineup for Zoo Brew 2013 (Saturday, June 8) at Mesker Park in Evansville

Derby City Roller Girls home bout this Saturday, June 8

Smokin’ on the River with BBQ and craft beer (June 14 & 15)

NABC reminds you about Music at the Mount on June 15

NABC at Fishers on Tap, June 15

Carnival Barker’s Blog: NABC at Exclusively New Albany on June 20

The 2013 “Art Walk During & After Party” is at Bank Street Brewhouse on June 22

The Waterfront Challenge: Race, Drink, Dance, Party and Black & Blue Grass on Saturday, June 22

NABC at Brew-Ha-Ha, the annual Phoenix Theatre benefit

Black & Blue Grass for Brandi Carlile at the Iroquois Amphitheater on Sunday, June 23

From Gravity to Session this weekend.

Gravity Head is winding down, and Session Head is here. In a nutshell, the weekend NABC schedule looks like this.

Gravity Head Fan Appreciation Night
Friday, April 5 at the Pizzeria & Public House
The handful of remaining Gravity Head listed selections will continue to be tapped and poured, but we're on the downward arc. On Friday, April 5, all Gravity Head listed selections currently on tap will be priced as specials, all day long.

Session Head 2013
Starts Saturday, April 6 at the Pizzeria & Public House
Officially, Session Beer Day is on Sunday, but NABC is starting early on Saturday with Session Head. Consider it the polar opposite of Gravity Head; instead of small pours of big beers, it's full pours of small beers. The list is here, along with the session beer philosophy. Read, absorb, and act. Hoops junkies already know that the University of Louisville's game begins around 6:00 p.m. If the Cardinals advance to the final game on Monday, and even it they don't, it will be shown at the Pizzeria & Public House (Bank Street Brewhouse is closed on Mondays).

Session Beer Day 2013
Sunday, April 7 at Bank Street Brewhouse
We'll observe Session Beer Day at Bank Street Brewhouse, with our weekly Sunday brunch (prime rib and the omelette station on the first Sunday of the month) and NABC session series pints on special throughout the day.

Links
More on Session Beer Day at Lew Bryson's Session Beer Project site
NABC's session observance preview at Session Beer Project
wordpress.com/2013/04/03/session-beer-day-2013/">Session Beer Day 2013 at the Beermebartender blog
For a contrarian viewpoint, there's always Joe Sixpack (Don Russell) in Philly

Listen to Corey Masden.

Red Room redux: Welcome to genocidal grammar and tyrannical misspelling.

I never cease to be amused by the era of lunacy empowerment, and this sort of trolling seems to be happening with more frequency since last year's election, suggesting that one tormented person is responsible for multiple comments under different names.

"Manny" uses the words "shrine" and "idolized," as did the previous offended party, to whom I forwarded a prompt reply and received no response or acknowledgement. That's because the last thing he wants is dialogue ... and that's because thinking is so very hard.

"Manny" sent no e-mails, unless he botched the .com address; even dud newalbanian.com addresses are forwarded to me for examination.

Worst of all, having selected Yelp as platform for sharing his dullardry with a mass audience, "Manny" files his one-star review under Bank Street Brewhouse, while the supposed "shrine" to which he refers is at our Grant Line location.

Yep, we're all experts now. Even when we don't know Jack Schitt.

Thanks to RateBeer users for declaring NABC's Pizzeria & Public House the top brewpub in Indiana.

Congratulations to our comrades in the list above.

I'm fairly ambivalent about beer ratings, but there are two things about such rankings that I always find pleasing.

First, just being included as part of any conversation about best beer bars and/or brewpubs is reward enough for me. I've always felt we deserve to at least be mentioned, and I'll leave the exact numbers to the calculation of others.

Second, it's wonderful to see New Albany's name alongside New York, Chicago, New Orleans and San Diego in accountings of the best of anything.

Obviously, we could not do any of it without our workers and without you, the customer. Your patronage is much appreciated, and we thank you.

In 2012, we marked 25 years for the business overall (founded 1987), 20 years for me at the Public House, and 10 years as a brewery. Once upon a time, I sat down at a bar somewhere with a pint of Guinness in hand, and the next time I looked up, a career seemed to have found me. Problem is, I still don't know what I'd like to do when I grow up.

Here's the press release.

RateBeer Best 2013 -- AWARD RESULTS

By RateBeer's Joe Tucker, Executive Director, 2001-present

(Santa Rosa, CA) First and foremost, I'd like to raise a glass to the people who make the beer we drink. These men and women are the artists, engineers, visionaries, chefs, CEOs and of course janitors and many other roles combined that are today's craft brewer. I've had the pleasure of listening to many in my role here and there are no more passionate, skilled, brave and hard working people on the planet. The great success of craft beer around the world proves this.

It's my great pleasure to honor them, and all those in the craft beer industry, with the results of this year's RateBeer Best.

Over 4.5 million times, RateBeer beer reviewers worldwide have raised a glass to review a new beer. We have tallied those scores and now present them as our competition results. For our summaries, a particular emphasis was placed on tastings made in the last twelve months. Additionally, brewpubs, bottle shops, restaurants and bars from around the world were awarded prizes. Cheers to all the winners and to everyone who keeps the world of craft beer growing as a fun, cooperative community devoted to artfulness and excellence.

NABC Pizzeria (sans Public House) open 11 - 5 on New Year's Eve.

The NABC Pizzeria (sans Public House; pizza side only) will be open on Monday, December 31 (New Year's Eve), from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Last call and kitchen closing will be at 4:30 p.m., and all NABC drafts will be on special, including Hoosier Daddy, which is appropriate seeing that Indiana University opens Big 10 play on Monday afternoon.

Both the Pizzeria/Public House and Bank Street Brewhouse will be closed on January 1 (New Year's Day), reopening on Wednesday, January 2. Note that on Wednesday, Bank Street Brewhouse will open at 2:00 p.m.

Speaking personally: Thanks to all of you who make NABC possible. We appreciate it, and we're looking forward to a great 2013.

Two non-work days, Saturnaliacs.

It was the winter solstice on Friday, and another great time to remind all and sundry of the thoroughly pagan origins of the contemporary holiday season. In ancient Rome, this was Saturnalia time, and we recall the wise words of Catullus, who referred to Saturnalia as "the best of days."

I can deal with the egregiousness of the modern co-opted holidaze so long as we keep it naturalistic, and remember the Romans for their template. So, fine wishes, Saturnaliacs and more recent observers of Festivus, and to all a good pint, hopefully more.

For the record: Both NABC locations will be closed today and tomorrow, the 24th and 25th of December, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Both locations will reopen on Wednesday, December 26.

Let's talk about those Kout na Šumavě lagers, because they're pouring now.

As of the opening of business on Monday at the Pizzeria & Public House, our three rare lagers from the Kout na Šumavě brewery in Czech Republic are pouring as billed. Thanks as always to Shelton Brothers and Starlight Distribution for bringing these choices to our attention and delivering, and to Eric for tapping them. Here's the list:

Pale 10º
Pale 12º
Dark 18º

As a prelude to what follows, you probably recall that I was fortunate to have traveled in Czechoslovakia in the 1980s, and accordingly, I enjoyed quite a few excellent beers that in my opinion actually benefited from the communist system.

Now, this may sound ridiculous at first utterance, but consider that outside of a few heavy export hitters (Pilsner Urquell prime among them), more than a few traditional lager breweries in Czechoslovakia routinely were denied substantial investment capital during the communist era. Rather, they were compelled to continue brewing the old-fashioned way ... and maybe that wasn't a problem at all.

After communism, when most of these breweries were privatized (read: sold off to western brewing conglomerates), their operations were modernized and streamlined. To my palate during subsequent trips, this "upgrading" had an effect on traditional Czech lager similar to what happens when the human voice is subjected to Auto-Tune. The beers became technically brilliant, and thus perfectly boring.

It was only a matter of time until the counter-revolution, and although I've not been to the area since 2006, I'm endlessly pleased to read of numerous small brewery start-ups. Modern-think stole character from the lagers; now the new generation is stealing it back. I enthusiastically approve this message, and I want to go back some sweet day. Please?

Until then, and with the help of the Kout na Šumavě brewery website (in English and Czech) and Ron Pattinson's seminal European Beer Guide section on Czech Republic, here's a glimpse at the three visitors. I tasted all of them earlier.

Koutská „tap“ blonde beer 10°/Koutská desítka - výčepní světlé pivo 10%
3-4% (8-10° Plato)
Pattinson: "Pale, low-strength lager. In German the name "Světlé Výčepní Pivo" translates as "Helles Schankbier". Usually highly-attenuated and fairly hoppy. Not lagered for any great time, such beers are sold 3-4 weeks after mashing. The most popular style of beer in the Czech Republic."

Note that desítka simply means the number ten. In general, the term výčepní can mean tapping, tap or draft; in the sense of 10° Czech beer, it seems to denote and perhaps emphasize the lower gravity. Because lower gravity lagers are less expensive, they're the big sellers in the Czech Republic. Crisp and sessionable.

Koutská Blonde lager 12°/Koutská dvanáctka - světlý ležák 12%
4.4 - 5% (11-12.5° Plato)
"The classic Czech pale lager style. The name means the same as "Helles Lagerbier" in German. Individual beers vary greatly, from sweetish and malty (like Pilsner Urquell) to dry and hoppy (Budvar). One thing they all have in common is being heavily hopped with good quality aroma hops (such as Saaz). Beers in this style should be lagered for 2-3 months before sale."

Likewise, dvanáctka means twelve. You may have noticed that the Czech custom is to render the °as %, which can play games with the minds of tourists. Kout na Šumavě's 12° golden lager fits Pattinson's description perfectly; it isn't just the extra body, but perfectly balanced hops from bittering through flavor and aroma.

Now the judgment gets a bit harder. Koutská's Special dark beer 18° is excellent, with a roasty malt edge and balanced sweetness that does not seem to approach Doppelbock's (the body seems light for Doppelbock). I'm not sure which style it best fits. Maybe here:

Special dark beer 18°/Koutský tmavý speciál - tmavé speciální pivo 18%Tmavé (Černé) Speciální Pivo
8 - 10% (18-24° Plato)
"Dark doppelbock. Includes the strongest Czech lagers."

Tmavé is "dark" and Černé is "black." Is it Dopelbock, or it it an example of the nearly extinct Czech style of Porter, which Pattinson likens to the Polish variety?

Porter
8 - 9% (19-20° Plato)
"Black lagers. Very full-bodied beers, with lots of dark malt flavours and a good dose of bitterness. Pre- WW II, the standard top-end beer of Czech breweries. Getting rare."

Beats me. Perhaps further information will be forthcoming.

I can say this: These Kout na Šumavě lagers are as good as I hoped they would be. There's a regrettable tendency for today's enthusiast to dismiss "mere" lager, which finds itself outgunned by extreme styles, and yet, in the end, this means only that there'll be more left for me -- and that'll do wonderfully, at least until the next Czech trip can be taken.

Three rare lagers from the Kout na Sumavě brewery are coming to the Public House.

Kout na Sumavě brewery's Pale 10º, Pale 12º and Dark 18º lagers will be tapped and ready at opening on Monday, December 17.

As Westvleteren 12 mania grips the populace, my attention has been diverted toward the noble brewing heritage of Central Europe, and the manner by which a newer generation of brewers are reclaiming it. Perhaps my choice of reading lately, Joseph Roth's "The Radetzky March," has something to do with it.

Appropriately, three rare kegs have been delivered to NABC's Pizzeria & Public House. They are imported from Czech Republic by Shelton Brothers, via Starlight Distribution, and are from the Kout na Sumavě brewery: Pale 10º, Pale 12º and Dark 18º lagers.

Without the ability to produce steaming platters of roasted pork and knedlicky (dumplings), we're trying to devise a plan for dispensing these much anticipated beers. Here's the official press release from Shelton Brothers; stay tuned for our plan of action. Don't worry; we'll be quick about it.

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Kout na Sumavě

The once-proud Czech beer culture has taken some massive hits since the fall of communism. The largest national breweries have been swallowed up by mega-conglomerates and countless regional pivovars have been shut down, never to return. The traditional and distinctive Czech pivo -unpasteurized, earthy, soft, and complex- has been replaced with fizzy and bland "international lager"-beer devoid of local character meant to appeal to the mass market.

Thankfully there has been a revolt. Czech beer enthusiasts have let it be known they they want their national drink back. In a trend mirrored around the globe, new microbreweries and brewpubs are springing up all over the country. The entrepreneurial enthusiasts starting up these companies are having little trouble locating eager master-brewers who'd lost their jobs in the corporate purge -brewers who know how real Czech beer should be made.

Kout na Sumavé, a small town in the Bohemian Forest near the German border, was a prosperous center for beer production until it's local pivovar was shut down by Pilsner Urquell in 1969. Years later, Jan Skala, who as a young man had worked in the brewery, hatched a plan to revive beer-making in the town. Skala bought the brewery building in 2003, took two years to clean and renovate it, and in 2006 brought in Bohuslav Hlavsa, a master-brewer in the former Pivovar Domazlice (which had also been also shut down by Pilsner Urquell), to create a new line of traditional Czech beers. It was a huge investment, and the company struggled to survive. The undeniable integrity and quality of it's products has gradually earned Kout followers, and awards, in it's home country and abroad. Kout has won Best Beer medals four times in it's native Czech Republic, and has also received honors in France and Italy. Meanwhile, though not available domestically, the beers have attained a cult following in the US, where afficianados have rated 3 of them as being among the top 10 from the Czech Republic.

Shelton Brothers is extremely excited to announce the arrival, for the first time, of Kout in America. In early November we will be offering a very limited number of 20L kegs-just 40 each- of the Koutska 10º ( 4% ABV, the golden flagship beer, named the best Czech beer in summer 2012), the Koutska 12º ( 5%, the somewhat weightier and hoppier version of the 10º, named Lager of the Year in 2010), and the Koutska 18º ( 8 %, the brewery's rich, dark specialty lager, requiring over six months maturation, which won best Czech beer awards in 2007 and 2008). This is traditional Czech beer, made the old way-according to 200-year-old recipes-with it's own well water and all-local barley and hops, using either double or triple decoction mash. It's also open-fermented and unpasteurized-subsequently it has had to be shipped in cold containers, door-to-door, from Kout na Sumavé to Shelton Brothers, to preserve it's unique quality as a "real lager". We are now taking pre-orders, and hoping to ship all the beer out to accounts immediately following it's arrival in our warehouse.

See photos from Kout and some of the other Czech breweries we visited on our Flickr page.