(I’m delaying Part Two of “Indiana Statecraft” until June 1; thanks for waiting — RAB)

As the venerated journalist David Brinkley once put it, “Everyone is entitled to my opinion.”

Well, that suits me.

I’m highly opinionated, and much of the verbiage comes barreling out of my subconscious via the written word. For me, writing is a compulsion of sorts, and it comes with a sincere hope that my words will be read.

What I write, I always sign. Anonymity is tantamount to cowardice. I win some and I lose some, and there also is an inescapable element of living and dying by the rhetorical sword, but at least it’s always me.

Give and take in the debate is common, but every now and then, there’ll be a complaint to the effect that someone, somewhere, has taken offense at my words.

I’m delighted with feedback, since it means someone actually was reading, and so I’m quite willing to discuss particulars, as long as we’re reasonably clear about parameters: All I ask is that the wrong words not be placed in my mouth, because I’m wholly capable of uttering foolishness without anyone else’s help.

I never erase or alter what’s been written, so the offending passage surely remains out there somewhere, although at times, it isn’t easy to remember the content of several hundred thousand words written, or Facebook status updates posted, or 18,000 tweets tweeted – especially when one drinks beer for a living over a period of 30 or more years. You may need to remind me.

Know that I will consider and review anything I’ve written. If it is true, then I’ll stand by it, come what may. If it is false, I’ll also stand by it. They’re my words, after all. If I’m wrong, I’ll admit my error, make my corrections, and take my lumps.

Fair enough?

Good, because it’s time for some lumps to be self-administered.

—

At the Houndmouth (band) concert at Iroquois Amphitheater a few weeks back, NABC’s Houndmouth (ale) was inserted into the beer lineup by River City Distributing (RCD), our Louisville wholesaler.

As expected, the crowd was large and enthusiastic, and even at six bucks for a 14-ounce cup, the Houndmouth beer was completely depleted before the second warm-up act finished playing, a full 45 minutes before the 10:30 p.m. sales cutoff.

When I learned how many kegs were on site at Iroquois versus the number we’d shipped to RCD, I went ballistic and ranted to the entire planet (ah, the sheer ease of Twitter) to the effect that the wholesaler had failed, when in fact it was the venue that hadn’t bought enough beer.

Moreover, as it turned out, RCD actually had convinced the people at Iroquois to buy a keg more of Houndmouth than they intended.

Obviously, in my zeal to vent, I threw the wrong entity under the bus. I was wrong, and I hereby admit it.

Furthermore, I humbly apologize to RCD employees who were offended by my aggrieved patter in this instance.

In fact, RCD has tried mightily to be pro-active with Iroquois by inserting local craft beers into the “mass market business as usual” lineup preferred by the venue’s buyers, and for that – for four kegs of Houndmouth sold rather than zero – I might be more properly complimentary rather than disparaging and confrontational, as though by rote.

Was I disappointed?

Yes, but there are other ways to work through disappointment so that next time, the opportunity will work better.

Should I keep my big mouth (and iPhone, and word processor) shut every now and then?

Of course … even if it isn’t so easy to do.

Living and breathing one’s job doesn’t necessarily require being an ass, or walking up each morning determined to throw metaphorical punches, and while it’s hard to see me entirely changing these long-established personality traits, every second morning might work just as well, too.

In the Houndmouth case, I was wrong, and I feel bad about it.

—

Another way to look at all this just might involve some measure of self-analysis: Why is it that the (mostly) obligatory three-tier distribution system in American beer terms vexes me so terribly?

Inescapably, part of the answer in RCD’s case is its major revenue stream: Products I’ve crusaded against for three decades. To me, it’s a black and white proposition to abhor Coors Light.

And yet, being of borderline intelligence apart from polemics, I can see that life seldom can be taken as anything except gray. Among the gray areas is the clear fact that RCD’s management understands the importance of craft beer in today’s marketplace, as well as its escalating importance to the company’s bottom line in the future.

In my position, it’s important to keep one’s eyes fixed on the prize, and not be distracted by ancestral grudges.

It’s also true that much of my knee-jerking with regard to wholesalers derives from now-distant memories of an annoying past, long before NABC was a brewery or had a business relationship with RCD.

You probably had to be here in New Albany during the 1990s to understand how maddening it was to try to connect the dots and convince reluctant wholesalers to acquire the beers I wanted to sell, and then having to do most of the legwork myself so they could take their middleman’s cut. This type of experience has been known to induce a world-weary form of jaundice, and perhaps I’ve never recovered from it.

But maybe I should. None of it has very much to do with NABC and RCD in the here and now. I’ll endeavor to be better, and naturally there’s no animosity toward anyone who works for the wholesaler. We’re in it together.

And the beer buyers at those music venues?

(GGGgggrrrrrr … muffled roar … pops cap on imperial-something)

I’ll get back to you on that.

Presented by: LouisvilleBeer.com
Saturday, June 22 @ 7PM
BBC Taproom (Clay & Main)

Oh My, It’s The State Fair.

The Kentucky State Fair has it all, including the hoppy, homebrew heaven of one of America’s largest homebrew contests.  Local homebrewers, mostly from Kentucky and Southern Indiana, compete in 28 beer style categories (94 sub-categories) for ribbons, fabulous prizes and bragging rights.  There is even a contest for best beer label design and BREWER OF THE YEAR.

Make Better Beer

Although there are literally over a 100 ways to win, most people who enter will tell you it is not about winning, it is about making better beer.  As a homebrewer this is your chance to have the team of over 70 judges from five states take the time to view, taste and comment on your creation.

Two-three judges take 10-15 minutes to savor your beer and write a detailed report describing your beer on each of the judging criteria:  Taste, Appearance, Overall Impression, Mouth-feel, and Bouquet/Aroma.  The feedback from trained and experienced beer experts is invaluable to making better beer.

No your brother-in-law does not count as a certified, expert beer taster.  There is an important distinction to be drawn between EXPERIENCE and expertise.  Your experienced brother-in-law will drink anything that is free.  And as long as it’s free he will tell you how good it is.  He may even do odd jobs around the house to get more experience with your beer.  While this may be of tremendous value to you, he does not have the EXPERTISE to help you make better beer.

Feedback from EXPERTS can help you gain understanding that will help you improve the appearance, feel, aroma and taste of your beer.  You will get particular help describing and brewing toward the different styles of beer.  If you love to make good beer you should take this positive step in your beer making.

Entries

You will need to complete an entry form by July 1 in order to receive your bottle tags and other important program information.  So it is time to pull out your best recipes and get that goodness in a bottle.  Twelve ounce bottles for judging need to be delivered to the Fair Grounds office, Thursday, August 8 for judging that weekend.  Get the complete rules, dates and other information at the Kentucky State Fair website.

Entry is a bargain.  For only $8 ($6 seniors over 55) you can enter as many categories as you want.  Superintendent of the competition, Tim Rosenberger, just asks that you actually submit a beer for every entry you register.  This makes planning for judges and stewards much more sane.  Online entries are available after May 6.  Entry Registration information is here.

Keys

What are the keys to being successful with this contest?  Well according to Leah Dienes, brewer/owner of Apocalypse Brew Works and head judge for the event there are four keys.

First.  Bottle extra beers for every one bottle you need.  You will need for tasting before and after the judging to help you learn after you get the judges comments.

Second.  Taste your beer before you enter it to make sure it fits the style and that nothing went wrong.

Third.  Follow the entry instructions.  Don’t get your entry disqualified because of the bottle, markings or label that is not supposed to be there.

Fourth.  Enter multiple categories.  Winning is a whole lot about brewing to style.  Your best brew may be on the boarder line between style categories and you don’t want to be discounted, because judges think you are a different style.

And finally two truths of all brewing, sanitize and lots of yeast.

The American Homebrewer Association and Beer Judge Certification Program sanction the Kentucky State Fair event.  So, yes this is for real and qualifies winners and judges for other national competitions and points.

But blue ribbons, pickles and pies aside, this event is about beer.  Good beer.  And making your beer better.  And whether you are a baker, engineer, librarian, scientist, designer, truck driver, electrician, bricklayer, accountant, artist, tall, short, fat or floppy at the State Fair you are a Brewer.  And they have judges to certify that.

Disclaimer.  Brother-in-laws depicted in this article are completely fictional and do not refer to any specific brother-in-law.  But if you want to repair the fictional bathroom fan there is still some cold JOSE and Coco Bee in the basement.

The onset of springtime here in Kentucky is particularly noteworthy for a few things: the deluge of pollen, creating an oh-so-pleasant onslaught of allergies, beautiful green trees, and for the homebrewers, making delicious spring seasonal beers. Though not every beer I make is brewed according to the season, I do very much enjoy it when I use my brain to think more than a few weeks in advance. Towards the end of winter, when spring begins to tease us with warm notions, I like to brew a good easy-sippin’, porch-sittin’ session beer in eager anticipation of warmer weather.

Though springtime around these parts seems to be a short-lived whirlwind, the season itself encompasses numerous styles of beer. Brisk mornings call for a hearty breakfast stout that goes down well alongside the promise of warmer weather (Founders KBS). Warm afternoons beckon you to sip on a few session wheats or hefeweizens under a shady tree (Bell’s Oberon). Cool spring evenings merit just about anything that tastes good, but I find that a creamy porter or a spicy Rye IPA make the evenings simmer down to a peaceful lull.

This year, as my spring welcoming beer, I decided to brew an American wheat entitled GumballShred, a Three Floyds Gumballhead clone of sorts. As this hoppy wheat treat bubbles away in my basement, I look forward to the day the bottles are ready to be imbibed upon on the porch or around the fire pit. The use of wheat malt in this beer will create a nice malty body that is refreshingly easy to drink and not too heavy. I used Amarillo and Simcoe hops to give it a nice citrusy, piney, and floral hop character that will make your mouth pine for more (pun intended). California Ale yeast was pitched, as it will accentuate the hops and give it a clean finish with low esters. This beer was actually brewed specifically for a cabin outing that my wife and I are going on with some friends in early June. One of the many bonuses of homebrewing is the fact that if you want a specific beer, you can have it. Special occasion beers make the event or trip all the more pleasant. Plus, I think they just taste better. Though Kentucky weather may lean ever-so-slightly toward the unpredictable side of things, this hoppy American wheat will go down smooth in just about any condition, making it the perfect spring beer.

Not everyone drinks or brews per the season’s whim, but there is just something special about a  hefty Russian Imperial Stout while listening to the wind howl on a cold winter night, or a cold pilsner on a brutally humid summer day. It takes a little more planning to brew according to the time of the year, but the benefit of cracking the first bottle to celebrate the changing season very much outweighs the cost of using your brain more than it has to. Here in a few weeks, a hefeweizen or a simple, lightly hopped pale ale will be on my brewing agenda in a meager attempt to combat Kentucky’s humid wall of sweat, a.k.a. summer. Just try drinking an Old Rasputin, a broodingly colossal 9% ABV Russian Imperial Stout, as the sun roasts your skin on a hot July afternoon after mowing the lawn. I dare you.

You might be thinking to yourself, “Self, this isn’t December already, is it?”. Self, you’re wrong. In conjunction with the Bardstown Bound “Keep on Cluckin’” Event, our friends over at ValuMarket are hosting another great beer festival this Spring. On Saturday May 18th, you better get in line early (5pm) because the first 500 in the door will receive a Highlands Beer Fest/LouisvilleBeer.com commemorative pint glass, and of course, first dibs on all these great beers.

2013 ValuMarket Highlands Spring Beer Festival

Sat, May 18th
1250 Bardstown Road, Louisville, Kentucky
5pm – 9pm
$5 Entry
$1 per 2-3oz tasting (tickets) / $30 for unlimited tastings
T-shirts $10

The (Impressive!) Beer List:

Local/Regional

Alltech Brewing Ky Ale
Alltech Brewing Ky Bourbon Barrel Ale Draft
Alltech Brewing Ky Bourbon Stout
Alltech Brewing Ky IPA
Alltech Brewing Ky Light (Kolsh Style)
Apocalypse Apollo IPA
Apocalypse Fall Out Dust
Apocalypse India Pale Ale
Apocalypse Specialty
Bluegrass Brewing Co American Pale Ale
Bluegrass Brewing Co Burbon Barrel Stout Draft
Bluegrass Brewing Co Dark Star Porter
Bluegrass Brewing Co Nut Brown
Cumberland Moonbow Wit
Cumberland Red Ale
Falls City Pale Ale
Falls City Wheat Ale
New Albanian Brewing Co Black’n Bluegrass
New Albanian Brewing Co Elector
New Albanian Brewing Co Hoptimus
New Albanian Brewing Co Naughty Girl
Rivertown Hop Baron Double Down IPA
Rivertown Roebling Porter
Rivertown Wit Bier
Schlafly American IPA
Schlafly Belgian Golden Ale
Schlafly Biere De Garde
Schlafly Raspberry Hefeweizen
Upland Brewing Double Dragon Fly IPA
Upland Brewing Dragonfly IPA
Upland Brewing Komodo Dragonfly
Upland Brewing Wheat
West 6th Brewing West 6th Amber
West 6th Brewing West 6th IPA

The Rest

3 Floyds Robert The Bruce
3 Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf
Abita Purple Haze
Abita Strawberry
Abita Tubo Dog
Anchor Anchor Steam
Anchor Breckles’s Brown
Anchor Humming
Anderson Valley Brother David’s Triple
Anderson Valley Heel Cho’ Hops Imperial IPA
Anderson Valley Hop Ottin IPA
Anderson Valley Wild Turkey Barrel Aged Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout
Arcadia Hop Mouth Imperial IPA
Arcadia IPA
Arcadia Sky High Rye
Arcadia Whitsun
Avery Ellies Brown
Avery IPA
Avery Salvation Belgian Golden
Avery White Rascal
Belgian White Ales Blanche De Bruxelles
Belgian White Ales Wittekerke White Ale
Bells Amber
Bells Kalamazoo Stout
Bells Oberon
Bells Two Hearted
Boon Framboise
Boon Gueuze
Boulder Hazed and Infused
Boulder Planet Porter
Breckenridge 471 IPA
Breckenridge Summer
Breckenridge Vanilla Porter
Brooklyn Brooklyn Summer Ale 6 pk bottles
Brooklyn Chocolate Stout
Brooklyn Local 1
Brooklyn Local 2
Brooklyn Draft 1 – Silver Anniversary
Brooklyn Sorachi Ace
Buffalo Bill’s Alimony Ale
Buffalo Bill’s Orange Blossom
Chimay Cinq (White)
Chimay Grand Reserve (Blue)
Crabbies Crabbies Ginger Beer
Delirium/Troubadour Delirium Nocturnum
Delirium/Troubadour Delirium Tremens
Delirium/Troubadour Troubadour Magma Sorachi Ace
Delirium/Troubadour Troubadour Westkust
Dogfish Head 90 Minute
Dogfish Head Aprihop
Dogfish Head Midas Touch
Dogfish Head Raison
Duchesse De Bourgogne
Dupont Dupont Saison
Duvel Duvel Single
Finch’s Fascist Pig Ale
Finch’s Secret Stache Stout
Finch’s Threadless IPA
Flying Dog Gonzo Porter
Flying Dog In Heat Wheat
Flying Dog Raging Bitch
Fort Collins Chocolate Stout
Fort Collins Incredible Hop IPA
Fort Collins Red Banchee
Fort Collins Z Lager Rauchbier
Founders All Day IPA
Founders Dirty Bastard
Founders Porter
Founders Reds Rye
Goose Island IPA
Goose Island Matilda
Goose Island Pepe Nero
Goose Island Pere Jacques
Goose Island Sophie
Goose Island Summer Time
Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold Lager
Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
Great Lakes Rye Tiger
Green Flash Hop Head Red
Green Flash Rayon Vert
Green Flash West Coast IPA
Harpoon IPA
Harpoon Summer Beer
Harpoon UFO White
Heavy Seas Loose Cannon
Heavy Seas Rip Tide White
Hofbrau Dunkle
Hofbrau Hefeweizen
Hofbrau Maibock
Hofbrau Original
Kastel Cuvee De Chateau
Kastel Rouge
Left Hand 400 LB Monkey
Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro
Left Hand Saw Tooth
Left Hand Stanger
Leinenkugel Big Eddy Scotch Ale
Leinenkugel Canoe Paddler
Leinenkugel Summer Shandy
Lindemans Cassis
Lindemans Framboise
Magic Hat # 9
Magic Hat Pistil
Maredsous Dubbel Brune
Maredsous Tripel
Monks Café Flemish Sour
New Holland Dragons Milk
New Holland Mad Hatter
New Holland Monkey King Saison
New Holland White Hatter IPA
New Planet 3R Raspberry
New Planet Off Grid Pale Ale
New Planet Tread Lightly Ale
North Coast Brother Thelonious
North Coast Old Rasputin
North Coast Pranqster
North Coast Red Seal
Ommegang BPA (Belgian Pale Ale)
Ommegang Hennepin
Ommegang Rare VOS
Ommegang Three Philosophers
Palm
Petrus Aged Pale
Roddenbach Grand Cru
Rogue Brutal IPA
Rogue Dead Guy Ale
Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar
Rogue Shakespeare Stout
Sam Adams 13th Hour
Sam Adams New Albion
Sam Adams New World Tripel
Sam Adams Stony Brook Red
Samuel Smith Nut Brown
Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout
Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout
Samuel Smith Taddy Porter
Saxo Blonde
Shiner Black Lager
Shiner Bock
Shiner Ruby Redbird
Shiner Wild Hare
Sierra Nevada Hoptimum
Sierra Nevada Ovila dubbel
Sierra Nevada Ovila Quad
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Can
Sierra Nevada Summerfest Can
Six Point Diesel
Six Point Resin
Smuttynose Brown Dog
Smuttynose IPA
Southern Tier 2X IPA
Southern Tier 2X Steam
Southern Tier Choklat
Southern Tier LIVE
St Bernardus ABT 12
St Bernardus Tripel
St Louis Framboise
St Louis Kriek
St Louis Peche
Stiegl Grapefruit Radler
Stiegl Lemon Radler
Stone Cali Belgique
Stone Ruination
Stone Russian Imperial Stout
Stone Sublimely Self Rightous
Theakston Old Peculiar
Thirsty Dog Hopus Max
Thirsty Dog Irish Setter Red
Thirsty Dog Leg Humper
Thirsty Dog Siberian Night
Timmerman’s Oude Gueze
Unibroue Ephemere Cassis
Unibroue LA Fin Du Monde
Unibroue Maudite
Unibroue Terrible
Weihenstephan Heffe Weiss
Weihenstephan Kristal Weizen

If you’re in town for the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby, be sure and stay an extra day or two to check out the amazing beer scene here in Louisville. There’s a lot more than Stella Artois and Mint Juleps here. Thank GOD.

View Louisville Beer Map in a larger map

Events Scheduled Across Lexington May 13-19

 With the craft beer culture on the rise, the first ever Lexington Craft Beer Week is being organized by LexBeerScene (www.lexbeerscene.com), a new web site focusing on Lexington’s craft beer brewers and bars as well as the local food truck scene.  Throughout the week of May 13-19, events will be held across the city that highlight craft brewing in Lexington, as well as state and nationwide.

“I think Lexington Craft Beer Week will be a way to celebrate what Lexington’s beer community has to offer to the city and the growing nationwide craft beer movement,” said LexBeerScene.com head Chris Vandergrift.  “It will also be a great opportunity to introduce people who want to support the local beer scene but don’t know where to begin to breweries like Country Boy and West Sixth and bars like The Beer Trappe and Drake’s.”

Included in the Craft Beer Week events are the yearly Kentucky Ale Pro-Am Brewoff, a local beer and food pairing at the Village Idiot, Breakfast, Coffee, & Coffee Beers All Day at Country Boy Brewing, Cooking with Local Beer with the Fork in the Road food truck, meetings of the West Sixth Running Club & Yoga Club, and a beer and food pairing host by Liquor Barn featuring Schlafly Brewing from St. Louis.  A full list of events can be found by going to http://www.lexbeerscene.com/LCBW.php

On top of all the special events, Lexington’s own Country Boy Brewing and West Sixth Brewing have made their first ever collaboration beer, called Country Western.  The beer is a hoppy pale ale that has been moderately hopped and dry hopped with Noble hops from Germany. This will cause the beer to stand apart from a traditional, more citrus or pine flavored American pale ale.

“Since day 1, we have been amazed by the support for the craft beer movement in Lexington.  It’s exciting to collaborate on a beer that will celebrate the movement that opened both of our doors.” said Country Boy founder and brewer Evan Coppage in a release announcing the creation of the beer.

Also in the release, West Sixth founder Brady Barlow said, “Brewing a beer together is not only a great way to show just how tight-knit the craft beer community is here in Lexington, but also to celebrate a great event like craft beer week.”

Lexington Craft Beer Week is made possible in part by the sponsorships of Smiley Pete Publishing, West 6th Brewing, Drake’s, and Kentucky Ale.

What was that?

How many breweries are located in the state of Indiana?

Only your friendly statewide trade organization knows for sure, although with the situation changing so quickly from week to week, the Brewers of Indiana Guild (BIG) probably isn’t capable of a completely accurate count, either.

The best guesstimate bandied about during BIG’s annual meeting in April was about 63 operating breweries, with as many as a dozen more in the planning stages.

(Full disclosure: I am a director on the board of the Brewers of Indiana Guild. However, my thoughts are strictly my own, and do not reflect official guild policy)

Clearly, Hoosier brewing has come a very long way since John Hill planted a family tree of sorts by opening the Broad Ripple Brewpub in Indianapolis in 1990. NABC began brewing in 2002, and yet now we’re among the older breweries continuously operating in the state during the past quarter century’s overdue revival.

It is likely that by year’s end, there’ll be working breweries in both Corydon (Point Blank) and Jeffersonville (Red Yeti). There are four breweries in Columbus and outlying areas in Bartholomew County, three in Evansville, two in Lafayette and one in tiny Needmore. BIG represents them all, because that’s what guilds are constituted to do.

As American craft brewing in the contemporary era has expanded, it has become common for craft breweries to align in professional trade groupings precisely like BIG, as delineated by state boundaries. The reason is simple: In the United States, individual states retain the bulk of the responsibility for regulating beer, brewing and breweries. While the entity known as the Brewers Association exists to coordinate the interests of craft breweries nationwide, in the state of Indiana it’s all about BIG, as described at the guild’s website.

The Brewers of Indiana Guild (B.I.G.) was organized to provide a unifying voice for the microbrewers and brewpubs of Indiana. Its goal is to promote public awareness and appreciation for the quality and variety of beer produced in Indiana. The Guild represents every brewery in Indiana.

Through economic development, academic research, and educational programs, the Guild brings benefits to a much larger community than just its members. B.I.G. also works closely with local farmers, grocers, and restaurants to promote locally grown produce, meats, dairy and other products, as well as with the arts community to showcase Indiana’s extremely talented performing artists.

The Brewers Guild of Indiana is a driving force behind the “Drink Indiana” public awareness campaign which strives to support the local breweries and encourage patronage of local brew pubs. And remember, craft beer is a lot like love; it’s a gift of life to be enjoyed responsibly–abuse it and lose it. If you drink, please don’t drive.

You may be wondering why I’m taking great pains to establish the intimate connection between a state, the state’s laws, and trade groups operating within that state.

It has to do with those pesky state boundaries. When it comes to craft beer, the prevailing reality is that while Indiana wholesalers and retailers are in the business of vending beer emanating from locales scattered throughout the world (subject, of course, to all manner of governmental regulation at every point of contact), a brewery located within the boundaries of the state of Indiana is an Indiana brewery, and as a functioning entity, it answers primarily to the state.

Yes, the production of beverage alcohol is controlled and taxed by the Federal government at the point of origin, but most other aspects of an Indiana brewery’s daily existence pertain to structures unique to Indiana.

Accordingly, just about every activity the Brewers of Indiana Guild undertakes is Indiana-centric. How could it be otherwise? BIG employs a legislative liaison (a lobbyist, if you will), and he works in the state capital of Indianapolis, spending virtually all of his time in and around Indiana state government, because that’s the primary point of reference for Indiana breweries.

In fact, it would be downright bizarre to suggest that BIG’s lobbyist might choose to spend billable hours at legislative sessions in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois or Kentucky. Conversely, Indiana legislators and officials with whom BIG’s lobbyist comes into contact seldom ask him to explain the impact of legislation on taxpayers in surrounding states; soft yet considerable PAC monies from Orange County, California aside, Indiana legislators are elected by Indiana residents.

The Indiana guild asks Indiana legislators to enact legislation that must make sense to Indiana voters. It’s Indiana money. It’s an overwhelmingly Indiana-centric mandate. If it has to do with BIG, it needs to be about Indiana-brewed beer, otherwise the point is being missed.

And yet, miss it we sometimes do.

Next time, in part two, I’ll explain what we miss, as well as propose corrective measures.

The Brewer.

John hasn’t brewed in a number of years, BK (Before Kids).  Now that his kids are human enough he decided he wanted to get back into brewing.  John’s a chemist and structural biologist, so that makes him pretty well suited for his day job discovering new cancer treatments at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center.  But for today’s exercise, he is importantly a beer lover from Timaru, New Zealand with a desire to capture the spirit of hop fields in the Tasman region at the top of the South Island of New Zealand.

The Brew.

So how does one piece together a recipe and capture the unique taste of New Zealand IPA?  He started with a basic IPA recipe from My Old Kentucky Home Brew for the grains and California yeast.  Available New Zealand hops started to customize this recipe to the flavor he remembered from home.  Pacific Gem, Green Bullet and Pacifica brought both bitter and floral flavor to this beer.

The key ingredient is the Motueka hop (8.6%).  Grown near the town of Motueka from which it gets its name, this hop captures a truly unique flavor from the passion fruit that also grows in the area.  So it gives the beer’s aroma a little sweeter and fruitier note.  We are not talking Fruitcake, Fall Ale, and Spiced Winter Ale; where can I dump this fruity sweet stuff?  We are talking…WOW!  That is different…really good…light…hint of fruit flower; and I will have another of these quality beverages.  Please.

The Brewing.

Since John hadn’t brewed in several years, he had to search the basement for the old brew pales; check the seals; and ultimately head to the My Old Kentucky Home Brew for more toys – I mean supplies.

Since this was a mini mash brew the family kitchen became central brewing operations.  The downstairs bathroom tub was a perfect temperature controlled fermentation room.

A growler of New Albanian Brewing Company Hoptimas Imperial IPA filled at Party Mart on the way to John’s house started us down the IPA brewing process.  We would later release a few Flying Dogs to sustain the momentum.

For those of you, who are not chemists, let it be known chemists are clean freaks.  John was even armed with a sanitizer spray bottle and washed down every spill I made.  I was somewhat afraid I was going to have to put on a hazardous material suit to complete the brew, but John was easily distracted with beer.

Brewer’s Thoughts.

Some young Louisville friends recently traveled to New Zealand.  Their initial impression was that it was a whole lot like Louisville, but nicer.  I guess they haven’t seen the snow covered mountains, ocean, tropical rain forest or millions of sheep that roam the island nation.  Or maybe I just don’t get out enough and am missing some really cool parts of Louisville.

John chose this brew, which he appropriately named Remembrance IPA, because he remembers traveling through the hop fields near Motueka every summer as a young lad growing up in New Zealand.  He remembers the smells.  He remembers the mountains out his bedroom window.  He remembers the freedom of camping on the beaches.  But mostly John wanted a great beer, so he made one.

Collaboration, called  “Country Western”, will celebrate the first ever Lexington Craft Beer Week in May

Country Boy Brewing and West Sixth Brewing, two Lexington-based breweries, have brewed the first ever collaboration beer brewed by two Lexington breweries.

The beer, which will be called “Country Western” in a celebration of the collaboration, will be a hoppy pale ale, and will be released during Lexington’s first ever Craft Beer Week on May 13^th-19^th.

“Since day 1, we have been amazed by the support for the craft beer movement in Lexington.  It’s exciting to collaborate on a beer that will celebrate the movement that opened both of our doors.” said Country Boy founder and brewer Evan Coppage.

“This is not only a result of great local breweries coming together to further the craft beer scene in Lexington, from sharing ingredients and beer knowledge, it just solidifies the friendship and comradery that has been created between West Sixth and Country Boy”, said Country Boy founder Jeff Beagle

“Brewing a beer together is not only a great way to show just how tight-knit the craft beer community is here in Lexington, but also to celebrate a great event like craft beer week” said West Sixth founder Brady Barlow.

“This beer has been a long time coming, and I’m excited to see the results.  I of course love our beers, and Country Boy Brewing makes some great tasting beers as well, so the results are going to knock everyone’s socks off”, said West Sixth founder Ben Self

Country Western is a hoppy pale ale that has been moderately hopped and dry hopped with Noble hops from Germany. This will cause the beer to stand apart from a traditional citrus-y or pine-y American pale ale.

Country Western will be released at participating bars and restaurants on May 13^thand will be available only during Lexington’s first annual Craft Beer Week.  It will also be available at both the Country Boy taproom on Chair Ave and the West Sixth taproom on the corner of 6^th street and Jefferson.

“We’re excited that Country Boy and West Sixth have decided to celebrate the first ever Lexington Craft Beer Week by creating the first ever collaboration between two Lexington breweries.  Country Western is going to be one tasty beer, and it will only be available at craft beer establishments around Lexington during Lexington Craft Beer Week”, said Craft beer founder and coordinator Chris Vandergrift.

Chris added, “The inaugural Lexington Craft Beer Week will celebrate all things craft-beer related in Lexington.  With the growing number of breweries in Lexington, it was past time for us to start our own craft beer week.  We’re going to celebrate it in style with events planned for the entire week.”