Bob Ostrander, his book & a pub quiz at the Public House on Wed., Aug. 31.

Check out the retro Public House signage!

On Wednesday, August 31, Bob Ostrander will be in New Albany to discuss his new book. Stay tuned for further details, and get the scoop on Bob's book.

Indiana Breweries book signings with the authors coming to both NABC locations.

I’m an Indiana brewer, and writers John Holl and Nate Schweber have a book coming out. The book is called “Indiana Breweries,” and the authors are coming to New Albany to participate in book signing events at both NABC locations, with signed copies available for purchase.

Saturday, April 2:
NABC Pizzeria & Public House, 3312 Plaza Drive (by Grant Line Road) at 3:00 p.m. in the Prost room.

Sunday, April 3:
NABC Bank Street Brewhouse, 415 Bank Street (downtown) at 12:00 Noon.

John and Nate also are scheduled to be on Good Morning Kentuckiana (WHAS-11), and they may receive mention in LEO, too. It stands to be a fun and educational weekend, ideal for drawing attention to craft beer’s increasing presence in Indiana as well as draining a few locally-brewed tankards.

Readers with longer memories will recall that it has been our great pleasure to promote two previously released books about the exploding Indiana craft beer scene: “True Brew” by Rita Kohn, and “Indiana: One Pint at a Time” by Douglas Wissing. Both are excellent, and recommended; Rita's contains voluminous, entertaining oral history from participants in the ongoing Hoosier craft revolution, while Doug's combines extensive history of the state's brewing history with valuable nuts and bolts about visiting today's newer generation of breweries.

But John’s and Nate’s new book has something the others lack: A foreward penned by me. Yes, it is self-serving and egotistical to point to such an obvious advantage. That's the way it is, and here is a brief excerpt:

Hailing from Indiana, otherwise known as the Hoosier State, means living as a stereotype. We’re supposed to be basketball-loving, soybean-growing, corn-shucking devotees of the Indianapolis 500, inhabiting flat ground somewhere in the vicinity of Illinois, drinking oceans of ice-cold, low-calorie, light golden lager after putting up hay, or downing boilermakers before shifts at doomed rust belt factories, all of which are both true and false, just like all stereotypes.

Hoosiers may not fully understand the meaning of the word “Hoosier,” but one element of our Indiana experience appears to be stealth, at least as it pertains to beer and brewing. Almost unnoticed, three dozen breweries (and more on the way) have settled into their joyous daily routines in Indiana communities large and small, from Indianapolis to Nashville, and from Ft. Wayne to Aurora.

The exact format of the book signing events isn’t known, although certain key elements are books, beer, author testimony and interaction, beer, the chance to buy signed copies, beer and whatever else strikes us.

There’s a Facebook page for Indiana Breweries, from which I've lifted this "official" description provided by the publisher.

Indiana Breweries ... available in April 2011 from Stackpole Books; John Holl and Nate Schweber profile the microbreweries and brewpubs of the Hoosier State. A detailed and current guide to all the brewpubs and microbreweries in the state of Indiana. With a foreword from Roger A. Baylor of New Albanian Brewing and the cooperation of all the state's brewers, Indiana Breweries is the go to guide for craft beer in the Hoosier State.

“The Hoosier State has a new underdog story to tell. Thanks to craft beer made by standout breweries and brewpubs, Indiana is quickly rising through beerdom's ranks. In this book, John Holl and Nate Schweber canvass the state leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that anyone interested in learning the charms of Indiana beer can now follow.”-- Nick KayeManaging Editor, The Beer Connoisseur

Doug Wissing at Prost on Saturday, September 18.

Rita Kohn and "True Brew" at Bank Street Brewhouse this afternoon, 4:00 p.m.

Don't forget: "True Brew" author Rita Kohn is at Bank Street Brewhouse today at 4:00 p.m.: Buy the book, she signs it, and we'll all enjoy a Progressive Pint.

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."