Madison Beer Review

Five Gallons At A Time: Yeast Pitching Rates

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Walts) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:30:00 +0000

When I give brewery tours at Ale Asylum, a homebrewer or two can usually be counted among the attendees. Aside from the occasional knob who shows off by asking dozens of questions to which they already know the answers, I very much enjoy talking with other brewers. I feel the same way about people with biology and chemistry backgrounds who may not know the breadth of the brewing process, but understand certain aspects of it very deeply. On a recent tour, a homebrewer asked me a number of questions that demonstrated both a strong grasp of brewing science and a desire to learn more. Given his level of knowledge, one of his questions surprised me: how much yeast he should pitch?

In my opinion, knowing how much yeast to pitch is one of the fundamentals of brewing consistently excellent beer. It's one of the first concepts that new brewers should learn, but it usually isn't. Anyway, the ideal amount of yeast to pitch will depend on the type of beer you're brewing. For most ales, I like to shoot for 0.75 million viable cells per milliliter of wort in the fermentation tank per degree Plato of original gravity. For lagers, as well as beers like Alts and Kolsches that are fermented by ale yeasts at cool temperatures, I like to target 1.25 million viable cells/mL/P. To convert from specific gravity to degrees Plato, you can use the following equation:

P = ((116.716 x SG - 569.851) x SG + 1048.046) x SG - 594.914.

If you plan to ferment 5.5 gallons of 15P ale, your target pitch should be 0.75 x [5.5 gal x 3785.4 mL/gal] x 15 / 1000 = 234 billion cells. If you're going to use dry yeast, you can assume each gram contains 14 billion viable cells (20 billion cells at 70% viability). I got the number from this BYO article, and it's worked very well for me. Continuing with the same example, 234 billion cells translates to 234/14 = 17 grams of dry yeast.

If you're going to use liquid yeast, you can assume Wyeast Activator packs and White Labs vials each contain 100 billion viable cells minus 5 billion cells for each week after the manufacturing date (which is printed on Wyeast packages, but I'm not sure about White Labs vials). With liquid yeast, it's far more economical to make yeast starters than pitch multiple packages. The Mr. Malty and YeastCalc websites will calculate yeast starter volumes for you, but they each have limitations that make them somewhat cumbersome: the Mr. Malty program only calculates the volumes of one-step starters and the number of store-bought packs needed to pitch into them, while YeastCalc makes you guess your starter volumes to arrive at final cell counts by trial and error. My pitching spreadsheet (available at http://sites.google.com/site/republicbrewpub/ as Yeast_Gallons.xlsx) is probably less intuitive, but it'll use your starting cell count to calculate the ideal number of starters and the required volume of each. If you didn't read it the first time around, this post will help you compensate for the impact of a starter on the gravity and hop bitterness of your main batch.

Hipsters and Craft Beer

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 10:30:00 +0000

A friend sent along this article about America's Best Cities for Hipsters. From its own introduction, one of the strongest factors was the presence of craft beer in the city: "To zero in on the biggest hipster crowds, we also factored in the results for the best microbrews and the most offbeat and tech-savvy locals."

You can go read the article to find out the best cities for Hipsters. Madison, somewhat surprisingly, didn't make the list, but quasi-Madison locales like Denver (though the real hipsters are in Boulder), Austin, and Portland, not surprisingly, are on the list.

I'm more fascinated by this implicit connection between hipsters and craft beer. The so-called "Hipster" is a fascinating sub-genre in contemporary American culture. The Hipster Handbook describes a "Hipster" thusly:

"[Y]oung people with mop-top haircuts, swinging retro pocketbooks, talking on cell phones, smoking European cigarettes... strutting in platform shoes with a biography of Che Guevara sticking out of their bags. ... You graduated from a liberal arts school whose football team hasn't won a game since the Reagan administration ... you have one Republican friend who you always describe as being your 'one Republican friend.' ... A Hipster ideally possesses no more than 2% body fat."

But the "hipster" tag is a strange one. Unlike similar sub-groups, such as "punks", "preps" or "goths", nobody seems to "self-identify" as a "hipster". In other words, the only people that are hipsters are those that somebody else calls a hipster. Indeed n+1 noted this in their symposium called "What was the Hipster":

"I went to n+1’s “What Was the Hipster?” panel discussion at the New School on Saturday but went away a bit unfulfilled. We all had a stake in defining “hipster” as “not me.” ... Like “douchebag,” “hipster” was a name that no one could apply to oneself. But the opportunity to call someone else a “douchebag”: that offered the would-be hipster a means of self-identification by a name one could say, looking outward. In the douchebag, the hipster had found its Other."

The Urban Dictionary says this about Hipsters: "Although hipsters are technically conformists within their own subculture, in comparison to the much larger mainstream mass, they are pioneers and leaders of the latest cultural trends and ideals." This seems to take a much less maligned view of the hipster; they are not cultural wanks and ironic copycats, but rather seek out new and interesting cultural artifacts. Hipsterism often results in anachronistic remixes of culture, to wit: Pabst Blue Ribbon, a quintessential working-man beer, in trendy night clubs. Is this a crass usurpation of goodwill or an intriguing statement on the acceptance of the bourgeois by the effite?

PopMatters' Editor Rob Horning looked to explore this identification of hipsters as modern aesthetes: "[I]s the hipster a kind of permanent cultural middleman in hypermediated late capitalism, selling out alternative sources of social power developed by outsider groups .... Hipsters are the infiltrators who spoil the resistance—the coolhunting collaborators and spies." So, here you have this identification of hipsters as a modality for bringing social power developed by outsider groups to the mainstream. In other words, the whole purpose of hipsters is to assimilate the resistance.

It seems to me, then, that hipsters are necessary for the continued growth of craft beer. What began as a resistance movement, and make no mistake, craft beer began as a resistance movement, is being assimilated by the mainstream. Thus, you have not only an outsider group and cultural identity ripe for appropriation, but it fits squarely into the artistic milieu of hipsters alongside graffiti art, Wilco, and the Underground Food Collective.

I'll Bet You're Wrong. I was.

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:30:00 +0000

My latest issue of the Modern Brewery Age newsletter arrived via email last Friday. It's a ridiculous subscription, but as I have been getting more into the business of breweries, it has become a surprisingly invaluable and useful resource.

In any event, one of the useful features is the statistics that Pete drops into each issue. For example, in this past newsletter he looked at the Top 50 Craft Packages, Year to Date Ending 2/19/2012.

Not surprisingly, the top of the list is dominated by three breweries: Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, and New Belgium; these three occupy all 12 of the Top 12 packages (Sam Adams Boston Lager 12pk is #1 with almost $4mil in sales on that package alone year-to-date).

There is only 1 package on the list from a Wisconsin brewery. Would you like to guess what it is? A "package" is, roughly, any bottled product available for retail sale. So, what do you think?

New Glarus Spotted Cow 6pk? Nope. That was my guess.
New Glarus Spotted Cow case? Nope. That was my second guess.
At this point, I was guessing almost anything else: Supper Club, Point, etc.

But the real answer? New Glarus Assorted 6pk. At number 50 on the list of the Top 50 nationally with a little over $419K in sales year-to-date.

The range of the Top 50 - under $500K in 2 months to over $3mil in 2 months - is pretty interesting to me. Sam Adams has 3 packages with over $3mil in sales for 2 months! Sierra Nevada is the only other craft brewery with 1. And New Belgium only has one package over $2mil in sales. This is pretty telling on not only the difference in scale from a National brand like Sam Adams, or even Sierra Nevada and New Belgium, to a local/regional craft like New Glarus. New Glarus is the only brewery on the list that is not available in multiple states. Also, there were 15 "Assorted", "Variety", or "Seasonal" packages (both 6pk and 12pk) in the Top 50.

Bet You're Wondering There's Been So Little Posting

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Well, much of the MBR staff is gearing up, in one way or another, for the Second Annual Madison Craft Beer Week. To date there are over 150 events registered for the week and we still have over a month before the thing even starts.

So, check it out. Get excited - there are lots of cool things going on this year. And, if you're particularly interested in things like cask ale (and, really, who isn't?) - come on out to the Kick-Off Celebration and Cask Ale Festival.

Press Release Wednesday - Sixpoint Brewing

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:30:00 +0000

Read below, but lots of connections between Brooklyn NY's Sixpoint Brewing and Wisconsin.

------------START PRESS RELEASE---------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

SIXPOINT COMES HOME TO WISCONSIN
Brooklyn-Based Sixpoint Brewery Makes its Launch in the Home State of its Founder

March 12th, 2012, BROOKLYN, NY — Sixpoint Brewery, whose motto is “Beer Is Culture,”
will begin distribution in Wisconsin this month. The brewery was founded seven years ago
in Brooklyn, New York by Shane Welch, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison
and native of the Milwaukee area. With an increasing variety of draft beers and core flavors in
distinctive, 16 oz. cans, the brewery is excited to spread its heritage to Wisconsin.
In its short history, Sixpoint has grown to become one of the most well-received breweries in
the Northeast. Founded in a converted garage in Brooklyn, the brewery has produced more
than 200 styles of beer, with new limited-release beers circulating frequently. Sixpoint beers
are available at some of New York City’s finest restaurants, such as Gramercy Tavern, The
Spotted Pig and Momofuku restaurant group. The brewery has also spawned distinct, ongoing
beer series such as the Mad Scientists series, a bi-monthly release of innovative brews, and the
Spice of Life single hop varietal series.

Just one year ago, the brewery grew from its draft-only format to introduce 16 oz. cans of its
core flavors. Now with five year-round flavors in cans, including the 12 oz. strong ale Resin, and
four seasonal beers in cans as well as on draft, Sixpoint beers are more portable and visible
than ever. With terrific ratings for its numerous seasonal and core beer offerings on sites such
as Beer Advocate and RateBeer, the brewery has cultivated a widespread community of fans
from all over the world.

Sixpoint is ecstatic to offer its beers in the state that inspired its founder’s passion for craft beer.
Prior to founding Sixpoint, Shane Welch began homebrewing as a college student extensively,
and cut his teeth apprenticing at the Angelic Brewery (now closed) in Madison.

“All of the core Sixpoint beer recipes are extensions of my original homebrew recipes. These
are the beers I invented while brewing in my basement on Vilas Avenue in Madison,” remarked
Welch. “This literally defines grassroots. Starting with just an idea and passion in your
basement, then moving to a pressure cooker like New York and making it work, and then finally
coming home to share it with your friends and family in your native state. I can’t wait to buy
people some pints of Sixpoint!”

Sixpoint will be distributed throughout Wisconsin by Beechwood Distributors, based in New
Berlin.

“We are very much looking forward to representing Sixpoint beers in Wisconsin! They have
obviously been very successful in NYC and the east coast, and that success has created a pent
up demand and anticipation here,” said Dave Cartwright of Beechwood. “[The beers] are all
extremely drinkable while also being very flavorful and interesting. I am personally really looking
forward to trying some of the amazing limited edition beers they produce and hear so much
about.”

“I am thrilled to have Sixpoint’s great lineup of beers join the wide selection of craft beers
available in Wisconsin,” added Jayme Nawrocki, Vice President of Beer Barons Milwaukee
Cooperative.

New and old friends of the brewery can join in the excitement at numerous launch events
throughout the state. Seasonal varieties such as Harbinger Saison will be featured at upcoming
events for Milwaukee Beer Week in late April and Madison Beer Week in early May.
About Sixpoint Brewery:

Sixpoint Brewery was born out of an 800 square foot garage in Brooklyn, New York City in 2004
by homebrewer Shane Welch, who had amassed over 1000 individual homebrew recipes. The
brewery’s name is derived from the ancient six-pointed brewers’ star, which had symbolically
adorned the walls and equipment of ancient breweries since at least the Medieval period.
Sixpoint’s motto is “Beer is Culture” to highlight the human trajectory — the earliest human
civilizations were founded upon the cultivation of cereal grains for making beer. Sixpoint aims to
perpetually inspire the art, creativity, and community generated through beer by acknowledging
the history of the craft, while forging ahead to inspire culture in a modern setting.

http://sixpoint.com
http://facebook.com/sixpoint
http://twitter.com/sixpoint
http://flickr.com/photos/-sixpoint
http://youtube.com/sixpointvision

Five Gallons At A Time: Cheap Calcium Carbonate

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Walts) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:30:00 +0000

In this website's water treatment posts, I outlined how to treat the total volume of mash and sparge water to a target residual alkalinity. A better method (in my opinion), but one that I didn't delve into for mathematical simplicity, is to reduce the total alkalinity of your brewing water to about 1 mEq/L and then adjust your mash water to the target RA. The benefit is that your sparge water will never have much alkalinity, even if your mash water does. Removing alkalinity just to add some back in seemed wasteful at first, but I eventually realized that my kitchen faucet is an abundant source of cheap calcium carbonate.

To collect the CaCO3, I poured the dregs of some lime-treated brewing water into a coffee filter and let it dry over the course of a day. My coffee maker did a good job of removing the standing water, and the filter full of calcium carbonate dried nicely on a plate afterward.

I'm Corporate Governance Nerd

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:30:00 +0000

On Tuesday the Brewers Association announced its newest Board of Directors. The BA 2012 Board of Directors includes: Vice Chair Gary Fish, Deschutes Brewery (OR); Secretary/Treasurer Mark Edelson, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant (DE); Past Chair, At-large Member Nick Matt, F.X. Matt Brewing Co. (NY); Steve Bradt, Free State Brewing Co. (KS); Dick Cantwell, Elysian Brewing Co. (WA); Chris P. Frey, AHA Representative; Chris Graham, AHA Representative, Beer, Beer & More Beer (CA); Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (CA); Steve Hindy, Brooklyn Brewery (NY); Kim Jordan, New Belgium Brewing Co. (CO); John Mallett, Bell's Brewery (MI); John Pinkerton, Moon River Brewing Co. (GA); Rob Tod, At-large Member, Allagash Brewing Co. (ME) and Eric Wallace, Left Hand Brewing Co. (CO).

Your new Board Chairman: Sam Calagione (DE).

West Coast Directors: 4
Midwest Directors: 2
East Coast Directors: 5
South Directors: 1
Colorado Directors: 2

A bunch of big names in brewing, to be sure. I think it's interesting 4 states, including the brewing Mecca of Delaware (?!) have multiple representatives while breweries from entire swaths of the country are completely absent, most notably Texas and the South-West and any Mountain state other than Colorado.

I'm not implying that every state needs a brewery represented on the Board, that's absurd; but I would argue that craft breweries in the South-West face vastly different challenges than breweries in New York. The interests of breweries in Wisconsin seem to have little voice except to the extent that our interests overlap with the interests of breweries in Michigan.

I'd further assert that perhaps some parts of the country are better-represented at Brewers Association events such as Great American Beer Fest, Savor, etc. because the BA has buy-in from those areas of the country which is directly related to the fact that prominent, influential breweries in that region are the Board. It's a bit of a chicken and egg problem, however, I think: they get buy-in because they have members in those regions that are in powerful positions, but the members are in powerful positions precisely because they have buy-in from that region.

From my own empirical observations, it doesn't appear that Wisconsin breweries are particularly interested in the Brewers Association. Heck, they're barely interested in their own Brewer's [sic] Guild. Indeed most Wisconsin breweries seem to have very little interest in anything other than Wisconsin. A mistake in my opinion; but, for some reason, we have a very myopic group.

What can we learn from this? Probably not much, other than that it is going to be business-as-usual in 2012 for the Brewers Association.

Rethinking Capital Brewery

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

My relationship to Capital Brewery is a long-documented one. It's been full of ups and downs. As we sit here today, I have to admit that, to my own surprise, I am a fan of Capital Brewery; or, should I say, to the extent that the two are not one and the same, I am a fan of Kirby Nelson, the gruff, yet lovable Brewmaster at Capital Brewery.

Kirby Nelson throwing fish off the roof at Capital Brewery during Bockfest 2012.

Of course, as has become abundantly clear to me over the years, the two are one and the same and Capital Brewery is merely the marketing device for Kirby's beer. Kirby wants to brew a doppelbock based on a Marzen recipe? Universally adored beer results. Kirby wants to brew a Blonde Doppelbock? Universal adoration. Kirby wants to brew an Imperial Dopplebock and age it in wood barrels? Geek adoration. Corn-based American Lager to go with your fish fry? The marketing machine goes into motion and it's instantly in every supper club in the area. Wheat beer made with local, Wisconsin, ingredients? The press releases flood the business wire.

Like any brewery, Capital, Kirby, has had his misses. Rustic, anyone? Prairie whatever that was? Even Island Wheat and Supper Club are, at least to me and despite what appears to be commercial success, misses.

But, really, what brewery doesn't miss on occassion? Even Craft Beer heroes Stone Brewing Company (Cali-Belique?) and Dogfish Head (Apricot Berliner Weisse?) have had their misses.

Admittedly, it is Capital's ouevre that prevents much of the knob-slobbering. They don't, haven't, played in the food area - no weird fruit beers. They haven't gone overboard on sour beer. They haven't made an undrinkably hoppy IPA. Their misses, and successes, are firmly in the everyday: Munich Dark, Maibock, Amber, Wheat, and American Lagers. Not to mention cornering the market on craft Doppelbocks.

Which is why, I think, Capital has resisted being fully embraced by the Beer Geek. The beer snob that can accurately differentiate the qualities of various Maibocks or Kolschs are few and far between. The beer cognoscenti drink Pilsner and Amber to get away from bombarding their palette with the Russian Imperial Stouts, Double IPAs, and Flanders Sours that get the hushed and whispered adoration. While we love every American Porter that tastes exactly like Edmund Fitzgerald, for some reason we can't embrace a Munich Dark or Doppelbock.

Yet, Capital's Pils and Amber are two of the best of their style. I've said before that Augustiner (one of the 5 classic Munich breweries) and Capital make the two best Doppelbocks in the world. And, quietly, if you've been paying attention, you would notice that Kirby has been getting in touch with his more adventurous side. Imperial Doppelbock aged in oak barrels. Single-hop (Tettnang) Doppelbock. Wild Rice Lager and Doppelbock. Single-hop Cream Ale (Nuggets, if you were wondering). The hugely overlooked Eternal Flame which is a process innovation and experimentation that most beer geeks can't get their head around and simply choose to ignore; if Sam Calagione had done it instead of Kirby everyone in the universe would be making beer with saved wort.

Even some of Capital's misses have been turned around. For example, US Pale Ale, after its re-imagination two years ago, remains criminally underrated and ten-times better than Moon Man could ever hope to be (sorry Dan).

So, why does Capital remain so unappreciated and actively ignored by the craft beer cellar-dwellers? Because Capital has been around since 1984? Because your grandfather drinks Capital? Because Island Wheat is on every golf course in the state? Because the graphic design and marketing are so cloyingly obvious (Supper Club? Pander much?) and disjointed (no two designs are the same)? Because Capital stubbornly resists trends?

Who knows, to be honest. Maybe we'll see a smoked dark. Maybe we'll see more single-hop doppelbocks. Maybe we'll see a whiskey-barrel-aged Imperial Pilsner drawn through a coffee-infused Randall and served on fresh hops. Maybe. But that's up to Kirby; and he doesn't really care what you, or I, think he should do.

Interview with Angel's Envy Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Lange) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

It’s no exaggeration to say that Lincoln Henderson is a living legend in the world of American whiskey. A member of the Bourbon Hall of Fame, Henderson spent nearly 40 years as Master Distiller and Research Fellow at spirits giant Brown-Forman, makers of Jack Daniels, Old Forrester and Woodford Reserve. During his time there he was a pioneer in the American premium whiskey market, creating small batch products like Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniels Single Barrel, and Woodford Reserve bourbon. His new project is Angel’s Envy bourbon, which after debuting last April is just being released in Wisconsin. I had a chance to speak with Henderson at last Saturday’s Distill America event to find out more about Angel’s Envy.

Madison Beer Review: For people who might not know your history and what you’ve done in the bourbon industry, why don’t you tell us a little bit about your background and what led you up to Angel’s Envy.

Lincoln Henderson: I was very fortunate to work for one of the major spirit companies in the world, Brown-Forman. I worked their for 39 years and I had the opportunity to develop products like Woodford Reserve and Gentleman Jack, and all these different products that were new products, but I was also responsible for the whiskeys that Brown-Forman had been making for years like Old Forrester and Early Times. I retired from Brown-Forman in 2004, having just created Woodford Reserve, and I started working for Suntory International as a US spokesperson for their Japanese Whisky.

Then my son approached me about seven years ago and said “Dad, I’d like to get into the business.” And I said, “Son, I thought you had more sense than that.” But he kept at it and got investors together to get the money to start making whiskey. So we started making our bourbon about five years ago. We got a friend of mine to do our production for us with our yeast, our grain mash. So we’re here today with a bourbon we started making close to five years ago. But then we did something a little different. We put the bourbon, after it came out of the bourbon barrels, into port wine barrels for about six months, which is what we have today, Angel’s Envy. The port finish totally changes the mouthfeel of the bourbon, makes it much more acceptable to a lot more people than a typical bourbon.

MBR: You mentioned using your own yeast, your own mash bill. So you guys conceived this from mash to bottle, it wasn’t just sourcing other whisky to finish in port barrels?

LH: All the way through we designed it. In the beginning, we had to produce a whiskey that was very subtle, not very aggressive, in all aspects. You can modify your yeast, modify your fermentation, and especially your maturation in the barrel. So we controlled the yeast, we have a special yeast, the grain mash was different, the distillation was different, the maturation was different. We looked at this whiskey as it’s maturing and made sure we took it out of the barrel before it started picking up these woody components that you expect in a typical bourbon, so we would have something very subtle. Really, it’s so light, we were in between a typical whiskey mash and a vodka, it’s very light. So then you put it in the barrel and you have to watch it very carefully because if it’s in there too long it becomes woody, more astringent, which you typically expect in a bourbon. So it came out very nice, and after the port finish, it came out nicer.

MBR: So, I’m going to geek out for a second, I’m guessing it’s pretty close to the 160 proof limit for bourbon? (Editors Note: the distillation proof coming off of the still is a major determination of the body and flavor of a whiskey. The higher the distillation proof, the more “neutral” the flavor. Bourbon, by law, must be distilled under 160 proof, though in practice it is typically closer to 140 proof. A grain mash distilled to 190 proof is considered completely neutral and is the base for vodka.)

LH: Yeah. That’s true. 80 percent alcohol is the top distillation for bourbon. We’re actually a little closer to 70 percent. Take Woodford Reserve for example. When we started distilling Woodford, we did three distillations. Well, if you stopped at two distillations your fine, but when you went to three then you’re right on the limit of going over what bourbon should be. So we are very safe at what we are doing.

MBR: Just a little higher than maybe Beam or something like that?

LH: Well, probably not a whole lot. The major factor in making your whiskey different form anybody else’s is your yeast. Yeast are like your children. You have to raise these yeast and cultivate them to keep the same profile every time. If you don’t, than your whiskey is going to go all over the place. And then the barrel. When we had the barrels made for us, specifically, the toasting level was very important to us because we know what that does to the finished product. So all these things put together, we came up with Angel’s Envy.

MBR: Do you disclose who is distilling it for you?

LH: We can’t do that.

MBR: I figured, but I thought I’d ask.

LH: But if you come to Louisville in the fall, we’ll be set up to start distilling.

MBR: Oh, ok, so you are starting up your own place.

LH: It’s on what was called “Whiskey Row” on Main Street in Louisville. From the west part of Main Street to the east part, that’s where a lot of the distillery offices were located in the 1800’s. So we are going to be putting our distillery right in that area. It’s going to be unbelievable.

MBR: Awesome. Correct me if I’m wrong but I thought I heard that Mitcher’s was going down there too?

LH: Mitcher’s is, though they are not going to be distilling, just putting an office and a museum in there. And that’s great, we are really 100 percent behind anybody that wants to come in there, and the city of Louisville is the same way because that will be a place where people can come enjoy the heritage of bourbon and not have to go 80 miles away.

MBR: I’ve been through. It’s a lot of driving.

LH: And it’s a wonderful experience, but people can start in Louisville and then go on to the others.

MBR: Well that’s a great idea, very cool. The other question I had was do you foresee a lot of competition popping up in terms of people sourcing and finishing whiskey?

LH: Oh, sure. I think we will. But it’s not…we’re not worried about it. There’s so much room in this business for the artisan people and the small batches. What’s going to happen is the major players are going to start looking at it and saying “wait a minute now, this is not good for us.” With Woodford, I told Brown-Forman in… you know I worked on Woodford starting in 1992, in 1996 we started distilling, I’m thinking, we should go ahead and start doing something else, not just Woodford.

MBR: And Daniels, and Old Forrester…

LH: Right, Because Jack Daniels actually drives Brown-Forman. And I can understand that. But any time you put…like all these people here, put something on a shelf, we put something on the shelf, they put something on the shelf, well the shelf space is limited. But we know we’ve got something that tastes good, and people can enjoy it, so we’re not really worried. And we have a great marketing department, a great sales team. For me, the easiest thing is making whiskey.

MBR: Hardest thing is getting it out there?

LH: That’s right. Developing the bottle, which incidentally I thought was the dumbest looking bottle. But then after a year or so, it feels good.

MBR: Is there anything else we should know about Angel’s Envy before I let you explore around here?

LH: Well I think an important thing is, I really want to stress the fact that my son, who is the chief operating officer, Wes, and my oldest grandson, and myself, we’re in the business together. It’s the only...you have Booker Noe and Freddy Noe, and the Beams, Craig and Parker, but there aren’t any three generations, which I didn’t realize. And my oldest grandson, Kyle, is actually responsible for bottling. So if anything doesn’t look right I can call him up and say “you dumb ass, what’d you do this for.” So he’s a young guy, he’s 22 years old. And my son is a very good businessman, and he’s taking care of all the overhead stuff.

So we’re very happy. I think today’s consumer of premium spirits is very knowledgeable. I mean it’s unbelievable. Like you, you ask questions that I would not have expected people to ask, you know, 20 years ago. The bartenders, the mixologists, are much more knowledgeable. And the consumer, our target group, they will ask us questions like you are. And that’s great, I love it. I mean, I lie a lot, but I try to say a little bit of the truth.

Let Me See If I Understand This Correctly

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Article here about Ocalala Indian Tribe suing A-B, Miller, et al for selling beer near their reservation.

The facts are these: Ocalala Indian Reservation, in South Dakota is a dry reservation. Yet, despite the ban of alcohol on the reservation, alcohol (namely beer) is destroying the Tribe. According to health reports the reservation has the lowest expectancy of anywhere in North America except Haiti. One in four children born on the reservation has fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The reservation comprises the third poorest county in the United States with a median household income of only $27,300. The reservation has been dry since 1832. Yet, liquor stores near the reservation have been selling alcohol (beer) far in excess of a reasonably proportional amount for the community in which they reside.

In other words, the only conclusion is that people are coming from the dry reservation to purchase alcohol, and take it back to the dry reservation. Therefore, the stores are knowingly serving people from the dry reservation. And, by extension, A-B, Miller, Coors, et al should have known that beer was going to the dry reservation in violation of reservation law because their distributors were selling beer to the stores in quantities far in excess to the number of people in the non-dry communities.

What do you think?

I think it would set a very dangerous precedent. Moreover, it leads to absurd results. Could the US sue the Netherlands for allowing American tourists to smoke weed? It's illegal here and the Dutch know it is illegal here, yet they allow American tourists to take part in an activity that they know is illegal in their home country. Can the US sue Canada because the drinking age there is lower and 19-year olds from Detroit go to Canada and drink, then come back to the US.

How could the remedy (sale of alcohol to someone from a dry community/reservation) possibly be enforced? How far away do you have to be? And, can you not sell to anyone from any dry community, or just dry communities that are nearby that you know are dry? Moreover, how are the distributors to know that their product is going someplace where it shouldn't be? All the distributor is doing is fulfilling orders for a store that is legally permitted to purchase their product. Can distributors be sued for supplying Colt 45 and other malt liquors or cheap alcohol to urban communities where consumption is far in excess of a regional average?

On the other hand, these groups are taking part and actively encouraging the downfall of a blighted community. In light of successful tobacco lawsuits, is this really that different? We have known health damages to a community and active marketing and distribution to the community suffering under the health condition. The tobacco companies were liable for their failure to warn of the health problems caused by their product and their active marketing to those to whom consumption was illegal (in their case minors, in this case citizens of a dry reservation).

Five Gallons At A Time: Water Chemistry Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Walts) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

I updated the six-part series on water chemistry. Here are the links to the articles:

Part I (introduction)
Part II (easy ballpark water treatments)
Part III (factors that affect mash pH)
Part IV (target residual alkalinity calculations)
Part V (water treatment outline and salt addition calculations)
Part VI (slaked lime and lactic acid calculations)

I rewrote the old articles instead of writing new ones because leaving up the old information, some of which was valid and some of which was outdated, would have been confusing for readers. In addition, I wanted to leave the original web addresses intact so people who use them as references would be able to find the new information as easily as possible. I included latest revision date in the body of each post so people will know that the content has changed since the publishing dates.

I'm always trying to better myself as a brewer, and I've gathered a lot of new information about water and mash chemistry over the last year. Some of it profoundly affects how brewing water should be treated:

-The target mash pH range of 5.2-5.5 is for room temperature measurements, not mash temperature measurements.
-Some of the pH strips available at homebrew shops report values that are about 0.3 lower than the actual pHs. I was using them, which made me believe my mashes were within the target pH range when they weren't.
-Kohlbach's claim that each mEq/L of residual alkalinity will raise pH by 0.084 was for 12-Plato kettle wort, not mashes.
-Water with significant carbonic acid, such as Madison city water, requires additional slaked lime to convert carbonic acid into bicarbonate ions.
-A given amount of acid will lower a mash pH at a higher rate when no carbonate alkalinity is present in the mash water.

That's why I decided to update the water treatment posts. I hope you find them helpful.

Text of Emergency Rule Found

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Here's the text of the Emergency Rule (thanks Phillip!). It turns out that I was right. It doesn't just "waive the fee" like the Journal Sentinel article implied. Rather, it creates a new class of "Brewer" called "Recipe Brewer". So, Buffalo Water, Furthermore, etc. are no longer wholesalers, but instead will distribute under a state Brewers License as a Recipe Brewer. It's not entirely clear how this plays with the fact that these "breweries" can't get federally licensed as breweries, but can be Brewers in the State. 723 Proposed Order (Emergency - V2)

Wisconsin Beer Law Update

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Two fun, new, and exciting developments in Wisconsin law.

The first exciting development is that the new legislation forced on craft brewers over the summer is already being revised because it was poorly written and hastily passed. Here's the catch though: I can't find the text of this "Emergency Rule", so I can't really comment on its contents. Maybe one of my readers who is more adroit at searching obscure legislative acts, will have better luck than I. The Journal Sentinel article states: "

... [A] new emergency rule that takes effect Friday will eliminate that requirement for recipe brewers [to pay the $2500 state wholesaler fee], said Stephanie Marquis, Department of Revenue spokeswoman. ... The new rule, which Gov. Scott Walker has signed, allows recipe brewers to self-distribute their beer without being defined as beer wholesalers, Marquis said. That exempts them from paying for the wholesaler's permit, she said. ... The new regulations prohibit brewers from buying wholesale distributorships, while allowing brewers that produce up to 300,000 barrels annually to do their own wholesale distribution - which requires brewers to pay for the state wholesaling permit.

But, this doesn't make any sense. At all. First, the statute doesn't have something called a "Recipe Brewer". Buffalo Water and Furthermore are Distributors, not Brewers - they don't have brewers' licenses or permits. But, according the article, the rule would alter the law to make them not wholesalers, but brewers. This is a far bigger change than merely waiving fees. Moreover, even Brewers that self-distribute have to comply with the Wholesale rules - which would still be onerous on both Buffalo Water and Furthermore. In other words, it sucks that I don't have a copy of the Rule because there's no way that this is simply a fee correction.

Second, there's a law making its way through the legislature that would change the law as it relates to homebrewers. Currently, the problem is this: the law says homebrewers can only serve homebrew in their homes. This may seem obvious, but it's also quite draconian: they can't serve it at their friends' homes, they can't have homebrew competitions, they can't do homebrew demonstrations at festivals or part of Madison Craft Beer Week.

Known as SB 395, the proposed new law would cap homebrewing at 200 gallons per household per year (or roughly 40 5-gallon batches per year). But, the good news is that homebrew could be "used" for "exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, or sampling or as part of a contest or competition." I'm not sure what it means to "use" homebrew; presumably "use" would include drinking, does it include service to the general public?

One final thought would be to consider how this affects server/host liability. Say a minor goes to a homebrew competition (because, you know, the fake IDs are pretty good these days), gets legally drunk on someone else's homebrew, and wrecks a car killing a person. Who is liable? Typically in this situation, the bar/vendor is liable because the person is a minor (and it's strict liability, so it doesn't matter if they showed a fake ID and had a beard). Is the homebrewer also liable? Probably not, but they might be considered a "vendor" and pulled into liability anyway.

Five Gallons At A Time: Brewhouse Efficiency Update

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Walts) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

A variation of this MBR article was published in the November/December issue of The New Brewer (the journal of the Brewers Association). Before submitting the article I ran simulations of two, three, four and five batch sparges, which illustrate how the solutions convergence on a single answer as more sparges are added. It also changed the brewhouse efficiency multipliers by small amounts, which I'll get to shortly.

I recently read a thread on a professional brewers' forum about the logistics of no-sparge lautering. I was surprised to see the topic because very few commercial brewers employ the method. The reason why is because it's colossally inefficient, as shown in the chart below.

However, many homebrewers believe it results in better beer. The theory is straightforward: during the lauter, the wort in your lauter tun is always at the same gravity as the wort in your kettle. Because the wort in the lauter tun is always relatively dense, and therefore well-buffered against pH increases, fewer tannins are extracted from the husks. Now, before you decide to mash in with all of your brewing water to reduce tannin extraction, I'd like to point out that the enzymes responsible for creating complex protein-degradation products (which Jean De Clerck believes are far more important to mouthfeel than dextrins) work best in thick mashes. There's a simple solution, though: mash like you normally would for continuous sparging and mix in all of your "sparge" water shortly before vorlauf.

I won't be using the no-sparge method anytime soon because my mash/lauter tun is too small to hold the grist plus all of the water for a full-size batch. That doesn't damper my academic curiosity, though, so I created a set of no-sparge brewhouse efficiency multipliers and added them to the latest version of my chart.

Switching topics, expect a water treatment overhaul in the next few months. I'm hoping to avoid another six-part series, but we'll see.

Happy Anniversary Central Waters

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Central Waters Brewing Company is celebrating their 14th Anniversary this year. They've been brewing fine beer for you since 1998. If you don't have anything going on this Saturday (tomorrow), you should come on up to Amherst and party like a rockstar with the rest of us; all the cool kids will be there. Here's the special beer tapping schedule:

3:00 - Bourbon Barrel Stout
3:45 - Peruvian Morning
4:30 - Pilot Batches (3 five gallon kegs of experimental mini IPA's)
5:15 - FOURTEEN fourteen [ed note: not 2:14? 14:14 - missed opportunity there]
6:00 - Exodus
6:45 - Bourbon Barrel IPA
7:30 - Kosmyk Charlie's Y2K Catastrophe Ale (Barleywine)
8:15 - Bourbon Barrel Barleywine

What's your favorite Central Waters beer?

Me? That's easy - Kosmyk Charlie's Y2K Catastrophe Barleywine. It's my go-to winter beer. I'm not sure there's a better barleywine in the universe.

I'm not a big stout person, so much of Central Waters' oeuvre is wasted on me, unfortunately. I'm curious about those experimental IPAs and the Bourbon Barrel IPA (who didn't see that coming?).

Review: New Glarus Thumbprint Barleywine

noreply@blogger.com (Matt Lange) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

At some point in the past year or so New Glarus switched the name of their quarterly, one-off special release series of beers from "Unplugged" to "Thumbprint." Disappointingly, they also changed to label, removing the superbly goofy sketch of brewmaster Dan Carey and replacing it with the company's standard "Drink Indigenous" Wisconsin logo. New Glarus President Deb Carey explains the switch this way on the company website:
"It is always flattering when less imaginative competitors copy our beers, packaging, and/or marketing. I usually accept this as a personal challenge to do something more. When our trademarked Solstice name was infringed on, I regrouped with Dancing Man. When lots of deconstructed 4 and 6 packs showed up I knew I was doing a good job. When another Midwestern brewer released a "Un*******" series. I thought I can do better."
Deb is no doubt referring to the "Unchained" series from St. Paul brewery Summit, which has been churning out excellent beers under that label for a couple of years now. I suppose "Unchained" is a bit derivative of "Unplugged," though I don't think anyone would confuse the two. Regardless, this new limited release Barley Wine is a "Thumbprint" beer. Made with Styrian Golding, Willamette, Columbia and Sterling hops.

Appearance: Light copper, straw
Aroma: Tropical fruit with a spicy, floral hop note.
Flavor: Earthy hop flavor up front with just a hint of citrus, followed by a malt sweetness blending with a bracingly bitter finish. A bit of alcohol warmth in the finish as well. Enough malt flavor to tame the hops just a bit, but the bitterness is the focus. With a slightly thinner body, this could easily pass for a Double IPA.
Drinkability: One is just right for me, thank you. Not the heaviest beer I've ever had, but full bodied and with a strong bitterness. Definitely not a session beer. (No ABV is listed for this beer, but if it's south of 10 percent I'd be surprised.)
Summary: New Glarus Unplugged/Thumbprint beers can often be fascinating without being intense; that's part of the reason I still have fond memories of beers like their Bohemian Pilsner and Berliner Weiss. But as they proved last year with their stellar Double IPA, they can go big when they want to, and this is another example. In a way this rides the line between American and British style Barley Wines; it is American in the high hop flavor, aroma and bitterness, but the hop profile strikes me as more European than American. Willamette and Sterling are American hops, they don't have the citrusy quality of popular west-coast hops like Cascade and Centenial (Sterling has noble hop lineage, it should be noted). An interesting and well orchestrated take on the Barley Wine style. Though the hop flavor will die down in time, this could be a good beer for the cellar as well, though hop heads should drink it while it's fresh.

Open Thread: Upcoming Events - Wisconsin

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

OK, I know there's a lot of stuff going on out there. I've gotten plenty of press releases that are all buried under the mountains of email that I get. So, if you know of an event happening in the next 60 days (before April 1, 2012), post it in the comments.

I know of two off the top of my head and both are at Dexter's:

The Schmaltz Brewing Co's 15th Anniversary - January 28th, 2012, 11am - closing - Schmaltz Brewing Co. will take over the taplines at Dexter's.

Breast Cancer Recovery Benefit - February 12th, 2012, 12pm - 4pm - The annual beer and chocolate event is a lot of fun and helps to raise money for the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation. Minimum donation of $20.

Oh. And, keep your calendars open the first week of May. Madison Craft Beer Week starts May 4 and will run until May 13th. More details in the coming weeks.

A Beer Weekend in Indianapolis

noreply@blogger.com (Robyn K) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

----Ed Note-----
This series of posts is brought to you by beer bloggers across the Midwest. Robyn, of Madison Beer Review, wrote the last article about a beer weekend in Madison. Your handy-dandy guide to Indianapolis (just in case you decide to use those Super Bowl tickets you bought when you were delusional enough to think the Packers might actually make it) was brought to you by Mike over at Hoosier Beer Geek.

----Ed Note 2-------
Jeff is Bears' fan. Tough luck Packers.

-------------------START POST-------------------

Friday
5 p.m.
Begin in the Basement

Opened in 2007, Chris and Molly Eley's Goose the Market (2503 North Delaware, (317) 924-4944) quickly became a hub in Indianapolis' growing gourmet and local food movement. In June of 2010 they opened up their basement space to create the Enoteca, "a casual place to drink wine" (and beer), featuring six ready-to-drink beer choices, as well as anything from the well-selected varieties on their store shelves. While the beer selection is nothing to blink at, it's the Enoteca's food that's the star. With selections such as duck rillette, terrine, charcuterie, or one of their highly-regarded sandwiches, there's something adventurous and tasty waiting for you.

6:30 p.m.
Welcome to ~~Broad Ripple~~ Meridian-Kessler

With a focus on local and regional beer selections - "(beer from) the people that I know" - Broad Ripple Brewpub brewer Kevin Matalucci's Twenty Tap (5408 North College Avenue, (317) 602-8840) is one of your best bets for getting a taste of beer from all over the state. It's worth noting that Twenty Tap offers half-pours of any of their beer selections, allowing patrons to moderate their sampling. Chef Rob Coates keeps a menu of expected bar food favorites interesting and upsale, yet remarkably affordable. The vegan bahn mi sandwich is a Hoosier Beer Geek favorite.

8:00 p.m.
But if want to try Kevin Matalucci's beer..

Despite owning Twenty Tap, Kevin Matalucci still holds down a regular job as a brewer at the Broad Ripple Brewpub (842 East 65th Street, (317) 253-2739). English expatriate John Hill opened the brewpub in 1990, in an effort to bring an authentic English pub experience to Indianapolis. He did more than that, launching the careers of more than one Indiana brewer, and creating an Indiana craft beer monument. Matalucci's English-style ales and an extensive menu help complete the effort. Order whatever is on the hand-pull.

9:30 p.m.
Belgium by way of Broad Ripple

As further proof of the influence of John Hill and the Broad Ripple Brewpub, stop in at Ted Miller (and his wife Shannon Stone's) Brugge Brasserie (1011a East Westfield Boulevard, (317) 255-0978). Miller began his brewing career at the Brewpub before traveling the world, and ultimately returning home to open this Belgian-style Gastropub. Ask your server if there are any sours on tap, and be sure to order the frites (fries), which are among Indianapolis' best.

11:00 p.m.
Topping off

When restaurateur Scott Wise finally got around to opening a brewery to support his local chain of Scotty's Brewhouse restaurants, he wasn't quite prepared for the success of his beer sales directly from his brewpub. Thr3e Wise Men (1021 Broad Ripple Avenue, (317) 255-5151) is that brewpub, and it remains the only Wise owner restaurant to carry his beer. Brewer Omar Castrellon puts his 20+ years of brewing experience to practice brewing styles that live up to Wise's vision. The pizza will come in handy after a full day of drinking.

Saturday
10 a.m.
Wake Up!

Still with us? After yesterday's effort you'll probably want to wait until noon before you start drinking again. Start your day at Good Morning Mama's Cafe (1001 East 54th Street, (317) 255-3800) a former filling station turned breakfast stop. There's a menu full of the breakfast classics, as well as the Hoosier Loco Moco, a sort of KFC Famous Bowl of breakfast foods, featuring rice, cheesy grits or potatoes, an egg, a beef, sausage, or spam patty, with a biscuit top, all covered in gravy, all for just $7.99. I don't order that, but it's an option.

11:30 a.m.
Say Hi to a Farmer, and Get Drinking

Indianapolis' City Market (222 East Market Street) has gone through many changes over its recent history, but finally seems to have hit its stride with the additions of a Saturday farmer's market and the Tomlinson Tap Room (upstairs in the main hall, west wall). The former can provide produce or baked goods for snacking along the route today, while the latter can get you started on drinking by providing a full list of beer from Indiana's breweries. Partially owned by the Brewers of Indiana Guild, Tom Tap often features Indiana's harder-to-find craft beer selections. Keep an eye out for something from Three Floyds. If you're hungry, check out Papa Roux on the lower level for a po' boy.

1:00 p.m.
A Rainbow of Beer Flavors

Now that you're back to drinking, your first brewery stop today should be at Flat12 Bierworks (414 North Dorman Street, (317) 635-2337). Since opening in 2010, Flat12 has gained a dedicated local following for their "tradition with a twist" approach, leading to a myriad of variations of their house lineup, as well as an adventurous attitude towards their specialty beers.

2:00
Heavy Medals

A short trek southwest bring you to Sun King Brewing Company (135 North College Avenue, (317) 602-3702) where - if you got there in time - you can catch a 2 p.m. brewery tour. Sun King recently made big waves in craft beer community, capturing eight medals at the Great American Beer Festival, and showing the country what Hoosiers already knew: Indiana makes great beer.

3:30
Hidden in Plain Sight

After your tour, head north on College and then north east on Massachusetts Avenue (Mass Ave to locals), where you'll be spending the rest of your day. Just before the road turns north, you'll run into Black Market 922 Massachusetts Avenue (317) 822-6757) - but only if you know where to look. Cross the sidewalk, find a parking spot, and step into one of Indy's best restaurant spaces. The food lives up to the space, with locally sources selections that put a modern spin on traditional Hoosier favorites.

5:00
Drink your way down Mass Ave

The following list of Mass Ave establishments provides a little something for everyone, so you can pick and choose who suits you best as you work your way back towards downtown from Black Market.

Best Chocolate in Town (880 Massachusetts Avenue, (317) 636-2800): Yes, this is a chocolate shop. But this chocolate shop offers truffles made with Sun King's Wee Mac. Definitely worth a visit.

Mass Ave Pub (745 Massachusetts Avenue, (317) 974-0745, smoking permitted): Smokers in your group will appreciate the fact that they can enjoy a pint and a cigarette in this locally owned neighborhood pub. A surprisingly deep selection of craft beer rounds out the experience.

Chatham Tap (719 Massachusetts Avenue, (317) 917-8425): Like soccer? We do. Chatham Tap is the default choice for fans wishing to catch a bit of English Premier League action. That tap list follows format, with the standard English selections, as well as local taps and a nice bottle list.

The Flying Cupcake (715 East Massachusetts Avenue, (317) 536-0817): No beer here, just a cooler full of cupcakes to satisfy your beer-drinking sweet tooth.

Yats (659 Massachusetts Avenue, (317) 686-6380): An Indianapolis cheap food institution, Yats provides diners with a plate of something saucy and cajun in a pile of rice. Chili cheese etouffee, anyone?

The Rathskeller (401 East Michigan Street, (317) 636-0396): If you're the German beer-hall type, Rathskeller is your Indianapolis answer. A full selection of German-made styles await you, as well as a sausage-heavy menu that fits the atmosphere.

Chatterbox Jazz Club (435 Massachusetts Avenue, (317) 636-0584, smoking permitted): The Chatterbox Jazz Club - a Mass Ave original - is the divey-est of dive bars, with a legendarily dusty interior, the most interesting stage carpet that ever existed, and bathrooms that are either scary or entertaining, depending on your outlook. Your best drink option is probably Sun King in a can. But what an atmosphere!

Old Point Tavern (401 Massachusetts Avenue, (317) 634-8943, smoking permitted): Something about Old Point is just plain cool. Maybe it's the wedge shaped building, or the girl dancing on the sidewalk outside, or perhaps even the extensive beer menu. In any case, the cozy confines provide plenty of entertainment.

MacNiven's (339 Massachusetts Avenue, (317) 632-7268, smoking permitted): You might be thinking that a place named MacNiven's is an Irish pub. You'd be wrong: MacNiven's is a Scottish/American Pub. It also features one of Indianapolis' most extensive beer lists, and regular and rare tapping from the likes of Sun King, Bell's, and Three Floyds. And I haven't even mentioned the giant folded cheeseburger and the awesome haggis!

Ball & Biscuit (331 Massachusetts Avenue, (317) 636-0539): Perhaps the most polished of all the Mass Ave bars is Ball & Biscuit, a cocktail lounge with a very solid beer lineup. The cozy spaces are made even more comfortable by the lack of televisions. This is a bar built for conversation.

Bazbeaux (333 Massachusetts Avenue, (317) 636-7662): Once again we end the night with pizza - this time from an Indianapolis institution that provides a full selection of craft bottles to keep you on even keel. Opened since 1989.

Sunday
10:00 a.m.

Act like a tourist, finally.

If you've survived to straight days of drinking, today's the day to catch a few easy local tourist areas. At the center of Indianapolis lies the Soldiers and Sailors Monument (1 Monument Circle), perhaps best known as the only part of Indianapolis they show during national football telecasts. If you manage to make it up to the viewing deck, keep in mind that Hoosier Beer Geeks' very own Jason Larrison is the architect responsible for those vertical windows you're looking out of.

A little bit north of Solider and Sailors lies the Indiana War Memorial (431 East Meridian Street) perhaps best known for this), the American Legion Mall, and the Central Library (40 East St. Clair Street). While I wouldn't normally recommend a library for tourists, our features one of the best views of the city, as well a pretty impressive interior.

Lastly, a visit to Indianapolis wouldn't be complete without a stop to Maxine's Chicken and Waffles (132 North East Street, (317) 423-3300) for a stomach full of fried chicken goodness for the drive home. A word of warning, though - show up early and beat the church crowd.

* * * * *

Indianapolis cab companies: All this drinking calls for either a designated driver or the services of a cab driver. To be honest, Indianapolis' cab companies don't have the best reputation, but they are still, in many cases, your best option.

Yellow Cab: (317) 487-7777
Blue Line Cab: (317) 444-1444
Prompt Cab: (317) 927-7070
Freedom Cab: (317) 244-4448

A Beer Weekend In...

noreply@blogger.com (Robyn K) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Planning a weekend getaway? Chicago? St. Louis? Headed to Indianapolis for the Super Bowl? How about a stay-cation right here in Madison? Better yet, why not make it a beer weekend?

A few years back, some beer bloggers got together and did a little exchange of ideas and recommendations about how to best spend a beer weekend in each of our respective hometowns. Well we’re at it again! Over the next few weeks, I’ll be posting our beer weekend getaways, which I’m guessing may inspire some mischief, maybe a bit of debauchery, and definitely some good times.

I’ve tried to eliminate driving as much as possible, either through walking, public transport or by minimizing cab rides (and fares!). As always, be safe and responsible!

So let’s kick off our series with home sweet home: welcome to Madison!

Friday 5:00

There’s no better place to start off your beer weekend than the Wisconsin Memorial Union. The Union holds the prestigious position of being one of the only student unions in the country to serve beer an campus- and it just happens to have one amazing tap list! No worries about it being the student union- weekends are open to the public and Madisonians flock here every weekend to enjoy the tradition of the Rathskellar and the beauty of the terrace overlooking the lake. It really can’t be beat!

Friday Dinner

After the union, take a stroll or catch a bus up State Street to the Capitol Square for dinner at the Old Fashioned. Featuring traditional Wisconsin fare highlighting small Wisconsin producers and over 150 Wisconsin beers to choose from (the only beer on the import list? Bud Light), the Old Fashioned has become a must-do on any trip to Madison. Order up a flight, try the beer cheese soup, the best cheese curds in town and the traditional Wisconsin Friday night fish fry!

Friday Night

Since you’re already on the Capitol Square, this is the perfect opportunity for a capitol pub crawl! The square has no shortage of great craft beer bars to hit- here is a list to pick and choose from based on what suits you best:

Cooper’s Tavern: An Irish bar with a fantastic tap list. Grab the snug if you can and order your beer through a private window direct to the bar! If you’re ready for a snack, the poutine is awesome!

Genna’s: A Madison favorite with a great local tap beer list, a cozy atmosphere and one of the best jukeboxes in town. If it’s nice out, grab a seat on the patio.

Tipsy Cow: The newest addition to Madison’s craft beer scene, the Tipsy Cow is well worth a stop and the name doesn’t get much more Wisconsin.

Maduro: If you like your beer with a cigar, this is the place for you! An added plus, the bartenders are very knowledgeable about beer. Bell’s is also prominently featured here, but there are plenty of others to choose from.

Graze: Madison’s finest gastropub, serving up high-level pub fare with ingredients from local farms. As expected, the beer list is fantastic and if you have room for more food, I highly recommend the pork belly buns!

Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co .: One of four Madison locations just happens to be right off the square and within easy walking distance. Don’t miss one of Madison’s oldest brewpubs!

Saturday Breakfast/Brunch

You have a full day of beer drinking ahead of you, so it’s a good idea to get a nice big breakfast to serve as a base. Monty’s Blue Plate on the east side is just the ticket! Get a bloody mary with a local beer chaser while you’re here! (Yes, we drink beer with our bloody marys. Apparently other places don’t do that??)

Saturday Day- Day Trip!

So many options and so little time! But I had to narrow it down, so here are my top three choices:

1. Catch a Hop Head Beer Tour

If you’re in Madison on the right weekend, you may be able to catch one of the Hop Head Beer Tours. This is no party bus though- the boys at Hop Head treat you to a fun and educational day of brewery visits, including beer experts serving as guest hosts on the bus, brewery tours and guided tastings lead by the brewers themselves. And the best part is, you don’t have to drive!

2. Take a road trip!

The downside of this option is that driving is required, but it’s definitely worth it! Get the longest part of the drive out of the way first and head out to Potosi Brewing Company, one of the oldest breweries in the state and the site of the National Brewery Museum- definitely a must-visit. Some highlights (besides the beer, of course) include the hand-carved bar, the dining tables made from the original wooden beer vats and the beer cave.

After that, head over to Monroe for a stop at the Minhas Brewery. I can’t say that the beer is my favorite, but as the oldest brewery in the state, the brewery’s history makes it well worth a visit.

After Minhas, New Glarus Brewing is the next must-stop. One of the most acclaimed breweries in the country, this beer is only available in Wisconsin. The new brewery is brand-spanking new and beautiful. Better yet, so are the beers! (Don’t miss the Unplugged series!) The self-guided “tour” is not great: there are no signs explaining what you’re looking at, so unless you already know the brewing process and equipment, you probably won’t get much out of it. Don’t let that deter you though- there are Beer Ambassador’s on hand to answer any questions you have.

The last stop on the road trip is the Grumpy Troll in Mt. Horeb. Grab a flight and a pizza and enjoy!

3. The #7 Pub Crawl

If you’d like to stay in town and enjoy some more of the Madison beer scene, the #7 bus just happens to go by almost all of the best beer bars and restaurants in town! Do you think Madison Metro did that on purpose? Here’s the run down of options- if you want to hit them all, you’ll have to stick to a strict one-and-done rule though! But you may be better off just picking and choosing a few- you still have Saturday night to hit the Beermuda triangle!

Glass Nickel Pizza Co.: If you started your day at Monte’s for breakfast, you’re conveniently already on the #7 route. Head a little farther east and start the crawl at the Glass Nickel Pizza Co- the tap list is excellent.

The Harmony Bar: Head west at on the route to the Harmony Bar for the next awesome tap list!

The Alchemy: Hike it one more block west on Atwood and you’ll run right into the Alchemy. More great beer! And if you’re hungry, great food too.

Mickey’s: Head west on Williamson Street via bus or foot and continue on to the next great tap list!

The Weary Traveler: Keep heading west on the #7 for the next excellent tap list. Play some Apples to Apples, a Wisconsin favorite, or another board game while you’re here!

The Essen Haus: Hop off at E. Wilson Street to pass around a boot and get your polka on at Madison’s only traditional German beer hall!

Big Ten Pub: Ride right past the Capitol Square, since you hit those bars Friday night and continue on to Regent Street where you’ll find the Big Ten Pub, which easily has the best tap list of the Camp Randall area bars. Great food too!

Brasserie V: Next head up Monroe Street either by the #7 or by foot to Brasserie V for some awesome Belgian beers. Don’t forget- you’re in Wisconsin! Order the cheese plate while you’re here too.

Jac’s: Jac’s is up next, if you’re still with me. A great tap list and, if you get the right bartender, maybe a beer cocktail?

Vintage Brewing Company: Get off at the west side transfer point for our last stop on the #7 pub crawl and walk across the Copp’s parking lot to Vintage Brewing Company. Chosen as Wisconsin’s favorite brewpub last year by Madison Beer Review readers, you’ll find some of the best beer in town here. Also some of the most generous portion sizes from any menu in the city.

Saturday Night
If you aren’t completely beer’d out (and hopefully you’re not), head over to the Beermuda triangle Saturday night. Ale Asylum, the Malt House and Dexter’s pub make up this beer trifecta: start off at Ale Asylum, one of Madison’s most popular breweries, then get a cab over to Dexter’s Pub for another impressive tap list and some garlic chili fries (they’re so good!). The Malt House is just a short two block stroll from there and offers over 150 beers to choose from. Yummmm!

Sunday Morning

Breakfast. Stat. My pick is the Hubbard Street Diner, which has fantastic food and just happens to be within easy walking distance of Capital Brewery, the last stop on our weekend tour. Catch the brewery tour or grab a beer in the beer garden, then relax and enjoy….

Then maybe extend your stay?

Because let’s be honest: 36 hours is hardly enough time to hit all of the options I’ve listed above. On top of that, there are still more that are worth a plug, though I couldn’t quite squeeze them in (I tried!). So if you’re able to extend your stay, here are a few more options for you:

1. Go to a Mallards game!

Madison’s local semi-pro baseball team also just happens to be one of the best beer outings in town- the Duck Blind! Not only do you get to get out, enjoy the Wisconsin summer and spend a night at a ball game, a ticket to the Great Dane Duck Blind also gets you an all-you-can-eat-and-drink pass to beer brats, burgers and beer, beer, beer. And not the typical Miller/Bud/water beer list you see at most ball parks either- here you get to choose from 20 different craft beers. Once the game is over, head over to Drackenberg’s- Madison’s only northside craft beer and cigar bar. It’s the perfect way to spend a summer evening!

2. Beer festivals!

From June through September, there’s a beer festival almost every weekend- just pick a weekend! The granddaddy of them all is the Great Taste of the Midwest, easily one of the best beer festivals in the country (if not the best). Tickets can be hard to get, but they’re well worth it!

3. Madison Craft Beer Week

If you’re going to be in town to get in line for Great Taste tickets, you should probably extend your stay and plan to hit a few events from Madison’s newest beer event, Madison Craft Beer Week. With a few hundred events to choose from, the challenge you’ll face is deciding which events you’ll have to miss!

Hopefully you’ve found this guide helpful and informative. Obviously there are enough options here to make any beer geek happy, and I barely touched on the equally awesome food scene. If you’re going to be in town, let Madison Beer Review know- we’d love to know your plans and hear your feedback! Cheers!

Why Don't Non-White People Drink Craft Beer?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Headline caught your attention? Well. I'm serious.

According to data, almost 90% of craft beer drinkers are white. IMPACT 2009 (Simmons Market Research)*. A mere 3% of craft beer drinkers are African-American, while around 5% are Hispanic or Latino.

African-Americans comprise at least 12% of the United States. 16% of the United States is Hispanic/Latino. A full 38% of African-American households would at least be classified as "middle-class", while around 10% of the African-American population would be considered "upper" or "upper-middle".

Yet very few of them are drinking craft beer. Just wondering why that might be.

* Data is referenced as part of a BeerAdvocate forum. I don't normally attach much weight to BeerAdvocate forums, but this matches with other data that I've seen in more "proprietary" formats. It's one of the few places where this kind of information is not behind a (very expensive) pay wall online.

Audience Participation: Create Your Own Beerfest!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

I've been approached by a number of places around town (Madison) to hold a beer festival like thing at their location. I have some ideas of my own, but I'm curious about what you might think. So, let's call it a bit of an open-source beer festival. The following are the restrictions:

Venue is big but not huge (300-900 people) and both indoor and outdoor are options
Preferred timing for the event is anywhere from late-Winter to mid-Spring
In Madison, parking is not an issue, but public transport and alternative transportation aren't particularly good for these locations, either

My thoughts on this kind of event are:

It can't be a general beer fest because the space just isn't that big - 8 to 10 tables or so, maybe as many as 15 tables - which means at most 30 breweries, so I believe this has to be a "specialty" or "themed" festival - at least if you think about this in terms of typical beer fests - creativity here is an interesting thought;
The timing is difficult for me personally because of my involvement with Madison Craft Beer Week, so another issue that comes to mind is whether this event would be a Craft Beer Week event - there are enough holidays and things to focus on during this time that it could work as a stand-alone festival; and,
Each venue has (very good) food, so catering and food, thankfully, isn't an issue and, in fact, could provide an interesting twist on the event

So, any ideas?

It's Time - Best Wisconsin Brewpub

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

I haven't had a chance to put together a 2011 Awards post yet. But, it is time to get voting started for Best Wisconsin Brewpub 2011. An annual tradition at Madison Beer Review, we ask you to vote for the best brewpub in the state. (pssst. The poll is over there to the right)

You've been to them all haven't you?

Last year there were so many that stepped up their game, it's hard to pick. And there will be more opening up this year.

So, get your votes in. It's a leap year this year, so you have one extra day to vote. Voting closes at midnight on February 29th.

Beer Sommeliers and Groupthink and Getting A Decent Recommendation

noreply@blogger.com (Jeff) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Slate, the online magazine, (you all know what Slate is? I don't really have to qualify that do I?) recently wrote an article about craft beer. More precisely, Slate wrote about Beer Sommeliers.

One kind of beer sommelier is called a Cicerone, and we've written about them before here at MBR (here and here). The Cicerone Program has multiple levels of certification, much like the Wine Sommelier program.

Ah! But sommeliers are so damned snooty! Snooty! I tell you. The petite bourgeoisie, you, have no knowledge of the complexity of wine. The dozens of varietals, the years on French oak (years!), the complexity imparted by aging sur lees.

The great thing about beer? It's made for the petite bourgeoisie. (Can you tell I like using the phrase "petite bourgeoisie"?). It's complex. The processes, ingredients, aging, and souring mechanisms, let alone philosophies that go into producing a fine beer are certainly on par with that weird "biodynamic" shit the wine hippies want to lure you into. But without the damned wine hippies. At the end of the day it's beer.

On the other hand, a good recommendation from someone who knows their stuff can make the difference between a good meal with beer, and a phenomenal food experience. I can tell you that I regularly ask around for beer recommendations. Some places are great (Brian and the folks at The Mason Lounge, for example), some are not so great (if you see me, ask me and I'll be happy to rail against some not-so-great local establishments - and one's with "good" beer lists, too). I've had a lot beer that I would have never tried without a recommendation and a lot of places that I'll never go again because of a bad beer recommendation.

One of the problems, as I see it, with the beer universe (and I point my fingers at the most well-traveled of beer recommendation engines BeerAdvocate and RateBeer) is that the results are so damned boring. And, the result is always Russian Imperial Stout, Imperial IPA, or La Folie. The groupthink that creates those reviews and recommendations would never recommend the perfect crisp Helles Lager, a subtle Belgian Blonde, or a rough and tumble Porter, let alone the Zwickelbier that the Slate journalist experienced. Many bars hire fans of beer, those that read and participate on BeerAdvocate and RateBeer and get drawn into the groupthink there; but few bars and restaurants hire bartenders that can actually demonstrate any real knowledge of the stuff that sits in the tap.

While I'm happy to see the taplists are getting better (many of the new restaurants popping up have at least serviceable, and in some cases great, beer lists), the knowledge needs to come along with it or the opportunity is wasted. I'm constantly frustrated by good restaurants that pride themselves on good drinks and great wine lists that offer nothing better than Amstel Light for quality beer to pair with quality food. But, then I think, that even if they offered great beer, the offer would be meaningless anyway, because they don't have anyone who knows what the hell they're talking about.

Five Gallons At A Time: More on Dextrins

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Walts) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

I love you, Jean De Clerck:

"Beers rich in dextrin are generally considered to have a more mellow palate and this is usually attributed to the greater viscosity of such beers compared with beers of higher alcohol content. This view, however, is quite erroneous (emphasis mine).The author has made a series of mashes so as to obtain worts of differing dextrin content (12-15% difference in attenuation limit) and found that the beers brewed from these high dextrin worts lacked palate fulness. This result is probably due to the fact that raising the mashing temperature suddenly from 50C to 70C to suppress partially sugar formation, at the same time leads to a failure to form intermediate protein degradation products, as will be seen in the next paragraph."

"These intermediate protein degradation products undoubtedly make a major contribution to palate fulness, nor must it be forgotten that the higher the dextrin content, the lower will be the concentration of alcohol, which is also a contributory factor to mellowness and palate."

-A Textbook of Brewing, Volume One

It's Miller Time

noreply@blogger.com (Joe Walts) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Confession time! It annoys me when people slander the quality of beers produced by the megabrewers. It's almost impossible to not make fun of their marketing, and I often do. Plus, considering all the "we can pay to play" political obstacles they throw at craft breweries, some of their corporate higher-ups are downright evil. However, the quality of their beer - i.e. the fact that they can nail their product specifications despite numerous brewery locales and variabilities in ingredients, equipment and water supplies - is mind-bogglingly impressive. I can understand not enjoying their beers, but it's simply wrong to accuse them of being poorly made.

I imagine that being a brewer or a scientist at a company like Miller must resemble living in a country where the characteristics of your nutcase leaders are projected onto you by the rest of the world because most people don't know anything about you. Having met a few of the Miller folks, I can vouch for them not being a bunch of ignorant cookie cuttings. They even drink craft beer! At the end of the day, though, people need jobs and Miller pays well. In addition, the company is on the forefront of brewing science and technology. Hell, I applied for a brewing job there a couple of years ago. I wasn't qualified because I don't have a degree in chemistry or chemical engineering, but imagine how much I could have learned! I like to think that I could have taught them a few things as well, but that's probably a common fantasy among craft brewers. The bottom line for industrial breweries trying to enter the craft market is that until they build dedicated facilities which trade efficiency for flexibility, or buy existing craft breweries and leave their core processes alone (the verdict is still out on you, GooseBev), they'll never be able to pull it off. Which is a shame, because some of the most flavorful beers I've ever tasted have come from a Miller pilot brewery. I don't know if they actually do this, but I find it funny that an experimental Chocolate Bock could account for 0.1% of the volume of any given batch of High Life.

Anyway... whether they brew Imperial Nut Oregano Braggots in souped-up 1/2-barrel kegs or brew MGD on the 1,000-barrel pinnacle of German brewhouse engineering, I enjoy the company of other brewers and I appreciate their work. My war is with the corporate executives and their lobbyists.