New Albany Craft Beer Week: It's a celebration of small, independent and traditional in brewing, and the community.

New Albany Craft Beer Week: It's a celebration of small, independent and traditional in brewing, and the community.

In recent years, New Albany’s new generation of food and drink establishments has played a major role in putting the “boom” back into our town.

So, earlier in the year when Keg Liquors announced it would be relocating its popular Fest of Ale to New Albany’s Riverfront Amphitheater on Saturday, June 4, it offered the perfect opportunity to celebrate the continuing rise of craft beer in New Albany.

After all, Keg Liquors is the top-rated bottle shop for beer in the whole the state of Indiana, according to RateBeer.

And, craft beer has come to be a staple offering at the majority of New Albany’s food and drink establishments.

Accordingly, the New Albany Restaurant and Bar Association (NARBA) is delighted to announce a new promotion aimed at reinforcing the economic, cultural and flavorful contributions of America’s craft brewers.

It’s New Albany Craft Beer Week, running from Sunday, May 29 through Saturday, June 4.

Many such beer weeks are honored in America. They vary in size and scope, and range across districts, cities and states, but there is relative uniformity in the concept.

The idea is to educate and disseminate craft beer consciousness, with an ulterior motive of letting consumers know more about places that serve it, and the people who make it all possible.

Anchoring New Albany Craft Beer Week on either side is the city of New Albany’s Boomtown Ball & Festival on Sunday, May 29, and Keg Liquors Fest of Ale on Saturday, June 4.

New Albany’s independent restaurants and pubs are encouraged to schedule tastings, beer dinners and special releases during the period of May 29 through June 4.

Known events at press time are listed below; others will appear as they’re announced on the New Albany Craft Beer Week blog: http://nacraftbeerweek.blogspot.com/

For some craft beer background, according to the Brewers Association, “An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional.”

• Craft brewers are small brewers.
• The hallmark of craft beer and craft brewers is innovation. Craft brewers interpret historic styles with unique twists and develop new styles that have no precedent.
• Craft beer is generally made with traditional ingredients like malted barley; interesting and sometimes non-traditional ingredients are often added for distinctiveness.
• Craft brewers tend to be very involved in their communities through philanthropy, product donations, volunteerism and sponsorship of events.
• Craft brewers have distinctive, individualistic approaches to connecting with their customers.
• Craft brewers maintain integrity by what they brew and their general independence, free from a substantial interest by a non-craft brewer.
• The majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a craft brewer.

With three operational brewing companies (Donum Dei Brewery, Floyd County Brewing and the New Albanian Brewing Company), New Albany now has more breweries than at any time since 1907 – and not to forget our friends at River City Winery, one of Indiana’s few urban wineries.

Throughout New Albany, and especially downtown, great craft beer selections have become the norm. Eateries like Big Four Burgers, Dragon King’s Daughter, The Exchange and Feast BBQ (to name just four) always have ample craft beer selections drawn from Indiana (120+ breweries), Kentucky (21+) and America (4,000) as a whole.

New Albany’s new generation of restaurants and bars is independent, unique and locally focused. Not coincidentally, these are the characteristics that define America’s craft beer revolution.

Come down, have some fun – and always remember to drink responsibly.

Cheers!

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New Albany Craft Beer Week Calendar, 2016 (Revised 05/21/2016)

Sunday, May 29
Boomtown Ball & Festival
New Albanian Brewing Company’s Houndmouth Ale will be available for purchase.

Tuesday, May 31
Beer dinner at Gospel Bird with Falls City Beer (details TBA)

Wednesday, June 1
Surf & Turf Tap Takeover (Sierra Nevada and The Exchange)

Thursday, June 2
Monty PINT-thon Night at Floyd County Brewing Company

Saturday, June 4
Keg Liquors Fest of Ale
100+ Breweries, 7 Craft Beer Distributors, 8 Fine Wine Distributors, over 250 craft and import beers, wine, food, charity raffle and more.

Saturday, June 4
The official Keg Liquors Fest of Ale after party will take place at The Exchange pub + kitchen.

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