Join me on a Session Beer Day Brewery Crawl on Thursday, April 7.

As Lew Bryson notes, Session Beer Day is only 20 days away, on Thursday, April 7.

For the past few years, my mission in beery life has been to propagandize the merits of session consciousness, and toward this noble end, I tried mightily to introduce the notion of Session Head at NABC's two locations.

Session Head was the symbolic final act of Gravity Head, with the pendulum swinging from the heavier wintry end of the spectrum to the lighter (in alcoholic terms) side of the aisle, as preparation for warmer weather in springtime.

I'm proud of what we were able to accomplish with Session Head. As far as I'm concerned, it's one of my more brilliant ideas -- ever.

However, most of you know by now that pending the outcome of the buyout saga, I've been "fired" by my business partners. I'm no longer in a position to rule on topics like Session Head, and it's a mystery to me whether or not NABC will stage it this year.

No matter, because I'm staging my own personal Session Head 2016.

As noted here previously, the idea suits both my preference for flavorful, lower-gravity beers, and a love of walking -- as exercise and philosophy, rolled into one.

On April 7, I'll start before lunch (circa 11:00 a.m.) and traverse downtown Louisville on foot, much like Leopold Bloom in James Joyce's Ulysses, walking from brewery to brewery and having a session beer at each. Most usually have at least one 4.5% choice on draft.

The brewery list, traveling roughly west to east, would be:

Falls City
Gordon Biersch
BBC 3rd Street
Against the Grain
Goodwood
Akasha

I've yet to check opening hours and other details, but there's time for all that. I'll be drinking "small beer in large glasses" (Lew's words), and I won't be driving. If this Session Beer Day Brewery Crawl can be managed without a single "Session IPA," it would suit me just fine.

If Rick's still open to some form of ceremonial late afternoon/early evening observance at Akasha, it would be wonderful. Other Louisville breweries too far away for walking might be able to sell session-strength kegs to Akasha for duty on the guest taps; it's just an idea, and it strictly is Rick's call.

Yes, it's a work day. So is Friday. However, if you're interested in blowing off work to join me, let me know. The more, the merrier.

Or: The less, the merrier. It depends on one's outlook. Remember, this trek is an all-weather event. Bring an umbrella if necessary.

I hope to see you somewhere on Session Beer Day, 2016.

Come drink beer with me on Session Beer Day, April 7, 2016.

As noted in January, Lew Bryson has returned to beer and beer blogging. Happily, he's been beating the drum about Session Beer Day, 2016.

Specifically, Lew has issued a challenge to brewers.

SESSION BEER DAY 2016 IS ON!

... If you're a brewer interested in participating, it's simple. The "session IPA" has taken over the American session beer category, when it was supposed to be a meta-category, a category that would include many different types of beer at 4.5% and less. Session beer awareness is supposed to be about increasing choices for the beer drinker...and we largely got one extra choice out of it.

Snap out of it! Take this opportunity to show off your skills and make a session-strength beer, 4.5% or less (you can do it; you can go lower!), that doesn't rely on shouting hops for all its character. We get it, brewers know how to make a light, wildly hoppy beer: EVERY brewer's doing it.

Be different! On April 7th, show us some real innovation, or some real skills to make a beautiful example of a classic session-strength beer that stands apart from the herd of 'monkey-see, monkey-do' dialed-down IPAs.

I cannot "like" this sentiment often enough. This year's Session Beer Day takes place on Thursday, April 7, and I feel a scheme coming on.

Of course, for several years at NABC, I've tried to coordinate Session Beer Day as the de facto "close" of Gravity Head. Lew was in town once for the occasion. I'm no longer in a position to make NABC's observance happen, and cannot be sure if it will. In fact, I've been shrugging so often lately that I may be compelled to break with practice and visit a chiropractor.

But I've bounced the date off Rick Stidham at Akasha Brewing Company in Louisville, who thinks he might have as many as three session beers pouring. He'd like to do something to mark the occasion. There is no firm plan (yet) apart from holding a ceremony at Akasha later in the afternoon, and yet this should be sufficient to keep the tradition alive.

As for me, I'm toying with the idea of starting before lunch and traversing downtown Louisville on foot, much like Leopold Bloom in James Joyce's Ulysses -- walking from brewery to brewery, and having a session beer at each. Most usually have at least once 4.5% choice available on draft.

I'm doing pints, and won't be driving. If I could manage this without a single "Session IPA," it would suit me just fine.

The brewery list, traveling roughly west to east, would be Falls City, Gordon Biersch, BBC 3rd Street, Against the Grain, Goodwood and Akasha. Others might be too far away to walk, but perhaps they could sell kegs to Akasha for duty on the guest taps.

I know: It's a work day, and so is Friday. However, if you're interested in joining me, let me know. I just may see you on Session Beer Day, 2016.

_

Polar Walk & Coolest Art Show in downtown NA next Saturday ... and Paul's One World Cafe open on Market.

Next Saturday (February 27) is the occasion of the long-awaited, frigid sequel to last summer's NA 1 Night Stand downtown pub crawl: Polar Walk.

As before, participants will be wandering downtown New Albany and dropping by those establishments that have signed onto the program, including *Bank Street Brewhouse, Studio's, Pastimes, Hitching Post, *Steinert's, *Wick's and *Connor's Place.

*That's four out of seven for the home brewing team. Not bad.

Wait, there's more: In conjunction with the Polar Walk, and serving as the walk's registration and starting point, will be The Coolest Art Show, held within the friendly confines of Dave Thrasher's Art Store on Market Street.

In other news: You may have heard that the street level retail space formerly occupied by the Market Street Fish House (now across the street, folded into Connor's Place) has a new tenant. The Tribune's Daniel Suddeath reports with the complete lowdown: Paul’s One World Café open.

Wednesday's Hoptimus tapping at Barley Island's new Broad Ripple taproom.

As many of you already know, John Campbell, Josh Hill and the Publican ventured to Indianapolis for an NABC sales day on Wednesday, December 9, leading up to the unveiling of Hoptimus at Barley Island Broad Ripple at 6:00 p.m.

A long day spent with Mat Gerdenich and the Cavalier crew had me losing my voice (and much of my liver) even before the headline event began, but that's show biz.

After a caffeine-fueled morning tour of the Cavalier warehouse, culminating in Mark Kocher and I transcribing a shipment of Anstich kegs, John and Josh departed with Cavalier's Greg Blackman. Mat and I started our day at Spencer's Stadium Tavern, where we were shown an incredible collection of antique cans, many unopened, in the cellar.

We then lunched at Dick's Bodacious BBQ downtown, and I confirmed that 15-B Porter and pulled pork work very well together.

Next, there was a stop at the new Sun King brewery and taproom (also downtown) to chat with Indy brewing stalwarts Dave Colt and (briefly) Clay Robinson. Look for Sun King to randomly pour at the Public House early in 2010, and for their Imperial Cream Ale to appear at Gravity Head.


After a pause for breath, a drive to Zionsville followed, and I enjoyed a fun conversation with Patrick of Patrick's Kitchen & Drinks, where Elector is on tap. I've not met Patrick, but we go way back, because during a stint as general manager at the Bloomington Brewing Company, he observed the villainy of NABC's ouster by the monopolistic fascists at the Big Red Liquors festival on April 10, 2003.

After that, Mat navigated the icy squalls to Broad Ripple, and we embarked upon a visit to the Corner Wine Bar/Wellington's (Beak's Best soon will be on tap in the cozy confines of the latter), and rejoined the joint sales team at Chumley's Beer House, where many excellent beers currently are on tap, displacing the golden lagers that once were the norm.

Finally, it was a short stumble to Barley Island Broad Ripple, and a shiny Hoptimus pressed into my hand before I had the chance to shed my jacket.

That's efficient service in my book, and you'd forget your hop additions, too, if you'd been through my various opening acts (and pints) that I did.

We appreciate Jeff Eaton and the BIBR team's efforts, and it was wonderful to see Tom, Veronica, Joe, Rita, the Involuntary's, and the entire Indianapolis craft beer community, from which so many braved the elements to absorb hops intravenously.

Straight from the Hoosier Beer Geek crew, who were out in force, photos of the evening can be viewed here.

"NA 1 Night Stand," a pub crawl, coming to downtown New Albany on August 29.

When first we heard from Jala Miller, she was moving into her new apartment in the building that houses Studio's Grille & Pub in downtown New Albany. Shortly thereafter, we were introduced, and I heard her idea for a downtown pub crawl, something that would being attention to the many new establishments coming to downtown New Albany.

Most important to me is her view of the demographics involved (her words):

To make this event a success – it is important that everyone “looks at the big picture”. The goal of this beer walk is to get the younger generation to want to visit New Albany “as a whole” – to make it a destination similar to that of Bardstown Road. In order for this to happen, the bars participating will need to be excited about it!

Jala has the plan together, and here are preliminary details. I concede that the date coinciding with Brew at the (Louisville) Zoo is inconvenient, but to be truthful, summer weekends tend to be booked from May through October in recent years. NABC will be participating in "NA 1 Night Stand" in a yet-to-be-determined fashion, hopefully with an outdoor party to serve as the trial run for similar events coming in September and October.

Event: The NA 1 Night Stand -- "Check 'em all before you fall"
What: Festival
Start Time: Saturday, August 29 at 3:00 p.m.
End Time: Sunday, August 30 at 12:00 a.m.
Where: Downtown New Albany

Facebook link

Description:

"The 'NA 1 Night Stand' is a one day welcome or reintroduction to downtown NA and all of the redevelopment that has been taking place. Join us on August 29th for a 'Beer Walk' different than anything NA has ever seen. Beer Olympics sign in begins at 3:00pm at Steinert's.

"Participating establishments will be featuring drink specials, food specials, and other attractions such as live music throughout the entire event day. Raffle prizes will be awarded throughout the day thanks to many local sponsors!"