The first wave of metro Louisville beer festivals is coming.

Seeing as I'm on leave of absence, maybe attending one or two of these as a civilian isn't entirely out of the question. I'm not sure I'd know how to act.

Spring brings sunshine, flowers, baseball — and beer festivals, by Kevin Gibson (Insider Louisville)

Louisville has become quite the hot spot for local beer festivals, and this spring is looking like a good one, with some returning favorites bearing happy new wrinkles and a new entry making its debut into the lexicon to coincide with Derby.

It’s still a bit early, but we figure it’s never too early to welcome spring’s sudsy bounty. Get your calendars (and your livers) ready.

Click through to review:

• Craft Beer Extravaganza for Thunder Over Louisville
• Derby City BrewFest
• Highlands Beer Festival
• Bardstown Bound Beer Tour
• Keg Liquors Fest of Ale

Get thee to Bloomington this Saturday, and avoid Thunder Over Fischerville.

This Saturday is the 4th annual Bloomington Craft Beer Fest. NABC's lineup for the fest, and our events preceding it during Bloomington Craft Beer Week, can be found at the web site:

NABC in Bloomington, April 11 & 12, for Craft Beer Week and the Craft Beer Fest

The fact that Kentucky Derby Festival organizers pushed this year's opening Thunder Over Louisville fireworks show back a week to accommodate Easter weekend poses a problem: What to do? Go to Bloomington for the BIG festival this Saturday, or stay in town for Thunder?

Silly question, actually; it's time now for my annual disclaimer.

I get no kick from juleps, and mere horse pimps don’t thrill me at all, but I get a kick out of being a contrarian Grinch each year during Derby Festival.

The orgasmic fireworks display this Saturday known to me as Flatulence Over Louisville always provides grist for this cynic’s willful disobedience, providing an excellent pretext to skip town for somewhere quiet and civilized by comparison … a place where good beer and victuals are readily available to wash away the bad taste of our yearly glorification of pure, old-fashioned American garishness.

In 2013, the Brewers of Indiana Guild's annual meeting was the pretext to enjoy Indianapolis during Blunder. This year, it's Bloomington, the BIG fest, and some exploration. Even better: In 2014, the guild's meeting takes place on Derby Day itself ... and northward I will go.

Let me know when the smoke clears, okay? I really detest this crap.

At the Carnival Barker’s Blog: "Thunder, craft beer, river ... "

If you're a fan of craft beer AND Thunder Over Louisville, check into the craft beer extravaganza at Buckhead Mountain Grill in Jeffersonville. It's this Saturday, April 20, and I cover the basics here:

Carnival Barker’s Blog: Thunder, craft beer, river

Thunder Over Louisville with Against the Grain.

Thunder Over Louisville isn't my style, but Against the Grain definitely is, and so in honor of AtG's genuinely interesting Thunder Package, kindly permit this announcement of their intent.

As for me, I'll be in Indianapolis. By the way, Thunder Over Louisville is on April 20.

Final note: Nine unnecessary exclamation marks were surgically removed!

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Make your Thunder Over Louisville 2013 plans with AtG

AtG’s Thunder Package 2.0

Wondering what to do for Thunder Over Louisville 2013? What if it’s cold & rainy? Don’t feel like fighting the crowd at the waterfront? Want a place to get away from the weather and relax? Good News…..

We are excited to announce our Thunder Package 2.0 for Thunder Over Louisville 2013! Get a jump on your Thunder plans and secure a seat with the best view of the Air Show and Fireworks at Louisville Slugger Field.

When you book your Thunder Over Louisville Plans with us, we will include:

A ticket for Bats v Indy Indians baseball game @2:05pm (this will be your seat for the airshow & fireworks) & access to the postgame concert “A Salute to The Eagles”

5 drink tickets for any house or guest beers, house wines or well drinks

2 appetizer tickets for any of our amazing smoked starters

2 entrée tickets for any of our smokehouse specialties

FREE soda drinks all day

Your seats will be in our newly renovated & spacious ‘Robot Room’. The ‘Robot Room’ has its own entrance, maintained bathrooms and will be staffed with your own AtG service team, to ensure your Thunder experience is as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

All of this for only $125 (not including tax and 18% gratuity)

We only have 28 spots available, so make your plans today and get a jump on Thunder Over Louisville 2013.

To book your reservation, call Against The Grain (502) 515.0174 or come in and reserve your spot.

NABC's thunderous business hours this Saturday, April 21.

NABC will be on hand with Elector and Bob's Old 15-B for the 5th Annual Craft Beer Extravaganza for Thunder Over Louisville, presented by Buckhead Mountain Grill and Rocky's Sub Pub under the big top on the northern shore of the Ohio.

Meanwhile, NABC's on-premise locations will be keeping the following hours:

Bank Street Brewhouse: Normal business hours (11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.)

Pizzeria & Public House: The Pizzeria will observe regular hours (11:00 a.m. - midnight), but the Public House will open at 5:00 p.m.

Rich O’s Public House CLOSED, Sportstime Pizza OPEN on Saturday, April 12.

Louisville’s annual exaltation of phantom male potency, otherwise known as Thunder Over Louisville, will bring a half-million people to the banks of the Ohio this Saturday (April 12) in orgiastic expectation of a raised middle finger of a militarized air show and an unspeakably garish fireworks extravaganza that will allow them to forget – if only for a brief span of time – that the dollars in their pockets are increasingly worthless, and that there’s a NASCAR race under way somewhere in the last, greatest hope for mankind.

No, I’m not a fan of Louisville’s foremost annual celebration of bread and circuses, which inaugurates Derby Festival and signals the beginning of mint julep season in the metro area. However, I know that the majority of my friends and acquaintances enjoy the pomp and circumstance, and so be it.

We’ve long since learned that there’s no sense in staffing both dining areas at NABC/Rich O’s/Sportstime on Thunder day, and we’ll not be doing so again this year. Rich O’s will be closed all day with the exception of a special private party in Prost. Sportstime will be open with all the usual food and beer available from 11:00 a.m. to (circa) midnight.

Here are links to two special events near Thunder’s epicenter, both of which will be serving craft beers in the midst of what is otherwise a sea of swill. Have fun. I’ll be with the NABC brew crew in St. Louis to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Prohibition’s demise.

BBC (Main & Clay) aged bourbon barrel stout ... and Thunder plans.

NABC, Buckhead, craft beer and Thunder Over Louisville, April 12.

BBC (Main & Clay) aged bourbon barrel stout ... and Thunder plans.

Contrary to every reasonable expectation, Gravity Head didn't really last into April, so other beers are coming on tap at the Public House. Since I wasn't expecting to have to think about it this quickly, there's no orderly plan in place at present.

However, one beer I want to mention in particular is Grand Old Fella, a special release from Bluegrass Brewing Company (Main & Clay in Louisville). In the words of brewmaster David Pierce, it's an exclusive version of his Jefferson Reserve bourbon barrel stout, and is ...

" ... A bourbon barrel worth of stout from our first batch. The stout was pulled from the first batch three years ago, aged two years in its original barrel then racked to a 23 year old barrel for one more year."

It's on tap now, and delicious. Also note that BBC downtown will be observing its annual Thunder Over Louisville celebrations, as described by Dave thusly:

Come celebrate Thunder Over Louisville and the BBC Taproom Birthday Party with us on 12 April, 2008. Doors open at 12:00 noon. The drill is the same as in the past:

Bring a dish to share (enough for 10 people), something to throw on the grill, your favorite non-alcoholic beverages, chips, dips, etc.

Parking is limited, indoor parking is first-come, first served.
Bring lawn chairs, sunscreen, etc.

I will be your host and bartender again this year. Please RSVP via e-mail so I can get a headcount. See you here!

I suggest calling the brewery directly if this interests you. Find contact information at the website: Bluegrass Brewing Company.

NABC, Buckhead, craft beer and Thunder Over Louisville, April 12.

NABC will be doing a split squad for Saturday, April 12, with Jesse, Jared, John and Roger (the token "non-J") in St. Louis for Schlafly's annual repeal-of-prohibition party, and Tony running the brewery crew at Buckhead Mountain Grill on the waterfront in Jeffersonville for its 2008 Thunder Craft Beer Extravaganza.

I refer, of course, to the Louisville area phenomenon known as Thunder over Louisville, a fireworks blow-out that heralds the arrival of Derby Festival, which owing to the weirdness of the calendar provides three weeks of partying this year before the horse race is actually run.

Here’s the pitch, and given what things cost during Thunder, it isn't a bad one at all.

Buckhead Mountain Grill's 2008 Thunder Craft Beer Extravaganza is a VIP Microbrew Tent featuring breweries such as NABC, Brugge Brasserie, Wabash Valley, Oaken Barrel, Barley Island, Three Floyds, Cumberland Brews, BBC, Browning’s and Upland.

Tickets are $75 and you'll receive $10 worth of tickets toward beer (cash after that for full pours, though I think samples are possible), the chance to meet people from the breweries, an all-day food buffet, plus prime real estate and river access for viewing the air show and fireworks. Must be 21 years of age, reservations and identification required. Families are welcome, and non-alcoholic drinks are included.

Go straight to the source for information and reservations: Kelly Leonardo of Buckhead Mountain Grill at 502-899-3030 Ext. 222.