Gravity Head 2014: Bullet Train to Blackout Town ... program, starting lineup and 14th starter voting information.

In keeping with recent content management resolutions, most Gravity Head blurbs have been posted at the NABC web site, and will continue to be. This is my blog, not the company nerve center -- if in fact we have such a thing. I'll be doing daily lineupdates in 2014 at www.newalbanian.com, not here. Following are the three most important links as we approach the 16th liver bruiser.

Vote now for the 14th and final opening day Gravity Head starter.

Gravity Head 2014: The starting lineup.

Gravity Head 2014: The Program.

VOTE VOTE VOTE FOR US in this exciting new NABC Beer Racket Bracket contest!!!

Now that college basketball is over, it's the perfect time for NABC to get into the bracket game. After all, we're leaders -- not followers!!!

Through a rigged blind draw, we've selected the 16 NABC beers most likely to be purchased by ratings-conscious beer aficionados!!!

All we're asking is that amid our frequent social media exhortations to vote, that you actually vote early and often for your favorites as they progress through the bracket!!!

Vote for them, continue voting, and then vote some more, and eventually -- unless we need more votes -- one of them will be declared the winner!!!

The real fun begins when a winner has been selected, because once the local Louisville metro market has chosen its absolute bar-none favorite NABC beer, we herewith vow to ship virtually all of it to some other American city!!!

Because that's how those vital on-line rating dudes are gonna love on us some more!!!

(Er, well, uh, does this mean I have to provide ballots? Oops, I mean, !!!) 

We have a Gravity Head fan vote winner ...

The starters are here: Gravity Head 2013: The starting lineup.

The fan vote winner is ...

Three Floyds/Mikkeller Risgoop 10.4%

The last vote cast broke the tie between Risgoop and Kulmbacher Eisbock.

For the complete Gravity Form program, go here, and remember that starting this year, our Daily Gravity Form program is u-print only.

13 Gravity Head starters named -- vote now for the 14th and final opening day selection.

Once again, as we prepare for the 15th edition of Gravity Head ("Return of the Living Gravity Dead") we’re allowing you to vote on the beer that will occupy the 14th tap.

The starting lineup is here: Gravity Head 2013: The starting lineup.

When making your choice, please remember that the beers listed below are the only ones eligible for selection. The list here has been edited to remove the beers already selected to start, ones already designated to appear on specific dates, those for which we have too few of certain types of tavern heads, and those that remain in transit.

For the complete Gravity Form program, go here, and remember that starting this year, our Daily Gravity Form program is u-print only.

Vote just once, and for just one beer, and submit to your choice to me at this e-mail address: istanbul85(at)yahoo(dot)com. Noon on Thursday, February 21, 2013 is the deadline for voting. I personally comprise the voting commission, and my decisions are final.

FAN VOTE ELIGIBILITY LIST FOR GRAVITY HEAD 2013

5E. EISBOCK

Kulmbacher Eisbock “Bayerisch G’frorns” (2010) 9.2%

9E STRONG SCOTCH ALE (WEE HEAVY)

Dark Horse Scotty Karate 9.75%

13F RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
BBC (Shelbyville Road) Tsar Bomba 12.5%

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (2011) 10%

Great Divide Yeti (2011) 9.5%

Stone Imperial Russian Stout (2011) 10.8%

Victory Storm King (2011) 9.1%

14C IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE

Bell’s Hopslam 10%

People’s Space Cowboy 9%

Upland Double Dragonfly 9.1%

18C. BELGIAN TRIPEL

Schlafly Tripel 10%

19B. ENGLISH BARLEYWINE

Harpoon Barleywine (Leviathan Series) (2011) 10%

North Coast Old Stock Ale 11.9%

Upland Winter Warmer 8.5%

19C. AMERICAN BARLEYWINE

Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale (2011) 10.2%

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine (2006) 9.6%.

Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine (2012) 12%

21A. SPICE, HERB, OR VEGETABLE BEER

Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti (2011) 9.5%

Southern Tier Jah-va 10.6%

22C. WOOD-AGED BEER

Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti (2011) 9.5%

Schlafly Oak Aged Barleywine (2010) 10.2%

23. SPECIALTY BEER

Bell’s This One Goes to 11 11.4%

Brooklyn Brewmaster’s Reserve: The Companion Ale (2011) 10%

Harpoon Triticus Ale (Leviathan Series) (2011) 11.5%

Samichlaus Bier (2010) 14%

Stone Double Bastard Ale (2011) 10%

Three Floyds/Mikkeller Risgoop 10.4%

Upland Ard Ri Imperial Red 9.3%

26B. BRAGGOT

People’s Ardelle Christmas Ale 8.5%

The Gravity Head fan vote winner for 2012 is ... sour!

We have a runaway winner (by a 3-1 margin) in the Gravity Head 2012 vote for the 19th tap:

De Proef Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird)
De Proefbrouwerij
Lochristi-Hijfte BELGIUM
Bitterness: 45 IBUs
Alcohol by volume: 9%


www.sheltonbrothers.com


Gravity Head Twist: It’s called Flemish Primitive for two reasons: Wild yeast, and a school of Flemish painters. Multiple strains of Brettanomyces yeast are used here, and uncharacteristically generous late hop additions.

There was a four-way tie for second place, and 12 beers in all received votes. For the complete list of starters, go here ... and get ready.

18 Gravity Head starters named -- vote now for the 19th and final opening day selection.

Once again, as we prepare for the 14th edition of Gravity Head ("It's the end of the world as we know it") we’re allowing you to vote on the beer that will occupy the 19th tap.

That's right: 19th tap. Eric managed to squeeze in a few more beers than usual.

The starting lineup is here: Gravity Head 2012: The starting lineup.

When making your choice, please remember that the beers listed below are the only ones eligible for selection. The list here has been edited to remove the beers already selected to start, ones already designated to appear on specific dates, and those that remain in transit. For the complete Gravity Form program, go here.

Vote just once, and for just one beer, and submit to your choice to me at this e-mail address: istanbul85(at)yahoo(dot)com. Noon on Thursday, February 23, 2012 is the deadline for voting. I personally comprise the voting commission, and my decisions are final.

Fan Vote Eligibility List for Gravity Head 2011

13F RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
Bell's Expedition Stout 10.5%
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (2010) 10%
Stone Imperial Russian Stout (2010) 10.8%
Upland Teddy Bear Kisses Russian Imperial Stout 10.2%

14C IMPERIAL INDIA PALE ALE
Bell’s Hopslam 10%
Mikkeller I Beat yoU 9.75%
NABC/De Struise/LBS B’Urban Trotter 9.2%

15C. WEIZENBOCK
Schneider Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock 12%

16E. BELGIAN SPECIALTY ALE
De Proef Flemish Primitive Wild Ale (Surly Bird) 9%

18C. BELGIAN TRIPEL
NABC Le Diable Blonde (2010) 10.7%

19C. AMERICAN BARLEYWINE
Great Divide Old Ruffian Barley Wine 10.2%
Hair of the Dog Fred 10%
Rogue XS Old Crustacean Barley Wine (2009) Circa 11%
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine (2009) 9.6%
Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine (2010) 12%
Three Floyds Behemoth Blonde Barley Wine 12.5%

21B. CHRISTMAS/WINTER SPECIALTY SPICED BEER
Haandbryggeriet Bestefar 10%

22C. WOOD-AGED BEER
BBC (Main & Clay) Bearded Pat’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Barley Wine (2009) 11%
Great Crescent Bourbon’s Barrel Stout 8%
Harviestoun Ola Dubh Old Engine Oil Special Reserve Conditioned in Highland Park 18-Year-Old Scotch Barrels Circa 11%

23. SPECIALTY BEER
Hair of the Dog Adam 10%
Shmaltz He’Brew Jewbelation Fifteen – 15th Anniversary Ale 15%
Sierra Nevada/Dogfish Head Life & Limb (Version 2, 2011) 10.2%
Stone Old Guardian Belgo Barley Wine 12%
Two Brothers Bare Tree (2010) 10%