Draft Hoosier brews for Indiana Beer Week -- just not the ones I was expecting.

Don't forget: Rick and Jeff Tours motorcoach to the Indiana Brewers Festival this coming Saturday.

NABC/Rich O’s themed guest beer weeks are continuing throughout July. Today we were supposed to have unveiled four rare drafts from our brethren to the north, but it would appear that some things just aren't meant to be, so forget all about what I told you earlier.

However, don't forget the occasion. A new event, Indiana Beer Week, had been organized by the Brewers of Indiana Guild to celebrate the period (July 10-19) between the Indiana State Fair homebrew and professional Brewers Cup Competition (July 11 & 12) judging and the annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival (July 19). Accordingly, a brewery "swap" schedule was arranged and The New Albanian Brewing Company planned to put our assigned beers on tap today.

Unfortunately, the unexpected began occurring. First, owing to a miscommunication (my fault), I learned that there wasn't going to be a guest beer from Lafayette Brewing Company. Second, announced beers from Three Floyds and Brugge Brasserie fell through. Nothing could be done about it, so we've improvised, and the fallback plan is this:

We managed to get Shoreline Brewery SumCen Double IPA from Michigan City, so there's one.

We always have Alpha King and Upland Wheat on tap; that makes three.

Brugge sent Tripel instead of Black -- four.

On Monday I'll forage and buy a couple of Indiana microbrews to flesh out the lineup -- Wabash Valley (Terre Haute) and Barley Island (Noblesville) sound like reasonable candidates, and one from each takes us up to a half dozen.

You'll have to come back tomorrow to see what I decided to buy, and then give me until Tuesday to get all of it in order.

Damn. This turned out to be harder than I thought.

Rick and Jeff Tours Indiana Brewers Festival

Jeff Gesser has reminded the Curmudgeon that the Rick and Jeff Tours motorcoach excursion to the Indiana Brewers Festival is a go. Note that local craft beer is included for the ride, along with lunch. As noted often in this space, Jeff and Rick have been doing these excursions for years, I've gone on several (most recently in June for a Reds-Red Sox game), and they're always great fun.

Indiana Microbrewers Festival
Saturday, July 19
Chartered bus, tickets to fest (more than 50 brewers on site), program, souvenir sample glass, and hand-crafted beers available on bus both up and back, along with sodas and water. Unlimited samples from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the fest. We will also provide lunch. Cost $85 per person.

Will leave Louisville or New Albany around 11:45. For reservations and complete information contact Rick and Jeff Tours by calling 502-807-7531 or e-mail profgesser(at)insightbb.com

Rick & Jeff tours schedule: Reds - Red Sox and Indiana Microbrewers Festival.

Jeff Gesser has informed the Curmudgeon of the following upcoming charters. Note that local craft beer is included for the ride, along with lunch.

What more can I say? Jeff and Rick have been doing these excursions for years, I've gone on several, and they're always great fun.

Cincinnati Reds vs. Boston Red Sox at Great Western Ball Park in Cincinnati

Two chances: Saturday, June 14 or Sunday, June 15

Saturday June 14th (1:00 p.m.)
Includes chartered bus transportation, tickets to game, craft beer and refreshments for the ride up, pre-game tailgate party with food and drink and a great time. Cost is $95 per person.

Sunday June 15th (3:55 p.m.)
Includes chartered bus transportation, tickets to game, craft beer and refreshments for the ride up, pre-game tailgate party with food and drink, and a great time. Cost $100 per person.

Indiana Microbrewers Festival
Saturday, July 19
Chartered bus, tickets to fest, program, sample glass, and hand-crafted beers available on bus both up and back. We will also provide lunch. Cost $85 per person.

For reservations and complete information contact Rick and Jeff Tours by calling 502-807-7531 or e-mail profgesser@insightbb.com

12th annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival is this Saturday.

The 12th annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival is on Saturday at Opti Park (820 E. 66th St.) in Indianapolis. The festival runs from 3:00 p.m. to - 7:00 p.m.

The 2007 festival program can be viewed here. NABC will be taking Hoptimus and Thunderfoot as listed, but I'm not entirely sure that we have any Elsa Von Horizon remaining. This may necessitate a substitution.

Remember that if you're coming from the Louisville area and aren't interested in driving, Rick and Jeff Tours offers a superlative package for the day:

Rick and Jeff Tours: Buses to the Indiana Microbrewers Festival and Cubs vs. Reds in Cincy.

Rick and Jeff Tours: Buses to the Indiana Microbrewers Festival and Cubs vs. Reds in Cincy.

The Curmudgeon happily provides an occasional plug for Rick and Jeff Tours, which stages numerous yearly motor coach journeys. Most of these rolling parties are devoted to sporting events both collegiate and professional, but always with craft beer close at hand.

Here is the itinerary for July, 2007, as provided by Professor Gesser himself:

We have two trips coming up this month. Saturday, July 21st we have a trip to Indianapolis for the 12th Annual Indiana Microbrewers Festival, presented by the Brewers of Indiana Guild, with over 200 beers to sample! Trip is $75, which includes tickets to event, souvenir sample glass, food, entertainment, safe and reliable transportation and refreshments on the bus. The event is from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

On Saturday, July 28th we are doing a Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds game in Cincinnati. The trip includes safe and reliable transportation, tickets (lower level right field), tailgate party with catered food and drink, a stop at the world famous Hofbrauhaus in Newport KY, and of course adult beverages throughout the day. Cost is $80.

Next week we will have our web site updated and start announcing our college football and NFL schedule for the fall.

For contact information, go to the Rick and Jeff Tours website.