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More in the life and times of great beer as experienced in the craft beer segment.
PHILADELPHIA
~ Philly Beer Week is coming and so is the very special collaboration beer from Iron Hill's Chris LaPierre and Brasserie Dupont in Belgium. Vanberg & DeWulf has the details over at their site.
EASTERN PA, NJ, DE, AND OTHER NEARBY PARTS OF MID-ATLANTIC
~ Had you heard that Iron Hill came back from San “Un tempo” anche alla “sbronza” si portava rispetto. Un bell’articolo di qualche anno fa a firma di Franco La Cecla su Repubblica lo racconta perfettamente. L’alcol è un compagno di tutte le culture, scrive, conduce intere comunità ad affrontare i periodi peggiori dell’ anno, scandisce con la sua presenza feste e ricorrenze e non c’ è cultura che non abbia inventato modi e gradi per regolarne gli effetti. Tante sono le bevande che lo veicolano e Un tempo, dicevo; adesso invece le cose appaiono radicalmente cambiate. Il consumo di alcol ha perso del tutto questo vissuto quasi “sacro”, ed è diventato un consumo come tutti gli altri, perdendo ogni connotato di eccezione/sgarro/avventura. Usando parole che altri hanno già scritto, non esiste più l’ubriaco, ma esiste l’alcolismo medio e mediocre di ogni sera e ogni notte, l’assuefazione all’alterazione, lo stordimento come status. Si è creato una platea di storditi e di allocchi, perennemente alla ricerca di qualcosa di mai provato prima e che ti “butti di fuori” (ma non in maniera estatica) come nessun altra cosa. Una pletora di consumatori o enoallocchi (l’equivalente, per il bere, dei gastrogonzi, per il mangiare) che il mercato tenta sempre di rifornire, in qualunque modo. Perchè il business è business. Tre esempi, tutti di questi giorni, di questa “deriva”. Wahh Quantum Sensations: è uno spray, viene venduto a 20 euro e contiene circa una ventina di spruzzi. Lo ha concepito l’inventore franco-americano David Edwards, lo ha “rivestito” il noto designer francese Philippe Stark. Ha la forma di un inalatore per l’asma e il tubetto di alluminio è grande come un rossetto. Ogni spruzzo libera 0,075 millilitri di alcool in forma liquida, quantità minima perché le microparticelle di alcol 24K Gold Lix Lollipop: lo si trova in vendita sul sito di Harvey Nichols, che “tratta” soltanto prodotti legati Spritz alla spina: l’idea, di due di Treviso (com’è ovvio) è stata: “Ma ci sarà pure un modo per fare lo spritz come la birra alla spina”. Hanno “partorito” dopo otto mesi la “macchina miracolosa”: ci sono tre «serbatoi» di Piccolo panorama un po’ intrisitito di un mondo sempre più in affanno, non solo commercialmente, che le sta provando di tutte per restare a galla, sacrificando la sostanza delle cose sull’altare della novità a tutti i costi. Qualcuno, tempo fa, aveva detto che era necessario resistere, resistere, resistere … Aveva davvero ragione. Noi ce la stiamo mettendo tutta. 
Whoops! A little misunderstanding this weekend caused Roundup to be late. There's plenty to enjoy for the rest of the week and we'll see you at regular time next week!
Hoosier Beer Calendar
Events are subject to change
From the Brewers
From Darren at Bier Brewery in Indianapolis:
SessieFrom Crown Brewing in Crown Point:
From Bob at Flat12 Bierwerks in Indianapolis:
From Roger at New Albanian Brewery in New Albany: The RiverRoots fest in Madison IN this weekend will feature the following From Andrew at Ram Restaurant and Brewery in Indianapolis/Fishers: 5/23 - Tappings and Tastings at Tomlinson TaproomFrom Clay at Sun King Brewing Co in Indianapolis:
From Ryan at Thr3e Wise Men in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis: From David at Triton Brewery in Lawrence: Trivia Night at Sahm's Place Tuesday, May 22 Beer Club Tasting at Fox and Hound June 7 From Lindsay at Upland Brewing Co. in Bloomington/Indianapolis:
For Carry Out From Todd at Keg Liquors in Clarksville/New Albany: Mark your calendars - 7th Annual Fest of Ale on June 2nd. Here is the latest for Keg Liquors: Here is the latest for Keg Liquors: At Bars and Restaurants From Jordan at The Beer Sellar in Castleton:
From Stuart at MacNiven's on Mass Ave, Indianapolis: Friday Night Fountain Square Brewery Firkin Tapping!From Eddie at Sahm's Place in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis: We now have all 15 craft lines installed and are getting ready for our "Sahm Random Day in July"! Bier Brewery will be hosting with a bushel of grand brews and we will be grilling out to celebrate whatever random day we choose to have it on...stay tuned for more info.
From Ryan at Scotty's Brewhouse in various locations: Scotty’s Brewhouse 96th Street Indianapolis is now pouring two beers from Urban Chestnut Brewing Company! We have their Winged Nut & Zwickel! Both of these are amazing beers from St. Louis and you can enjoy these for $3.50 a pint every Thursday! From Adam at Trion Tavern in New Haven: Latest beers on tap:Flat 12 Mustache RideNew Albanian Yakima Distributor info From Jen at Cavalier Distribution: Upcoming Events From Morgan at Brasserie D’Achouffe: Gnome Week is an anniversary program celebrating all things Brasserie D’Achouffe from June 6-9, 2012 at Brugge in Indianapolis, Indiana. La Chouffe is a Belgium beer that is unfiltered and re-fermented in the bottles as well as in the keg. It is pleasantly fruity, spiced with coriander, and with a light hop taste. We would like to invite you to celebrate Gnome Week, where you will get to taste limited release Brasserie D’Achouffe beers Biere Du Soleil and the Gnomegang collaboration, as well as Brasserie D’Achouffe favorites La Chouffe, Mc Chouffe and Houblon Chouffe. Also, in honor of our big day, we’re going tastefully small with the World’s Smallest Toast on Saturday, June 9th. From Michele at Fishers Rotary Club: Thursday, June 14th at FORUM Conference and Event Center.Tickets $40 General Admission $20 Designated Driver Visit their website for more information. From Joe at Conner Prairie Horizon Council: Friday, June 15th at Conner Prairie  The Sam Adams Imperial Series was (for me) an unexpected delight which I discovered in the company’s brewery in Boston. It is a series of BIG beers, in both alcohol by volume and flavor. The Double Bock is exactly what it sounds like. A malty, rich bock….doubled.
Appearance: Copper in color, slight haze, about a finger of cream colored foam which characteristically disappeared quickly, leaving little lacing. Aroma: Rich, rich malt is promised in the aroma. Typical tang of a high gravity lager. Mouthfeel: Thick, chewy body to this beer. Not uncommon for the style, but very satisfying. Flavor: The richness that is common to high gravity malts is the first wonderful flavor I noticed on this brew. Slight toffee (very slight). No hop character is detectable, which is not to say that they didn’t use hops, but rather that the malt character is just overpowering…wonderfully and beautifully overpowering. Overall: At 9.5% abv, this is not a chugging brew. But you’ll want to when you get a taste of the Samuel Adams Double Bock. While many of Sam Adams everyday brews are clearly everyday, their imperial series is something that is clearly extraordinary. You would do well to get a couple of this series, and don’t neglect the Double Bock when shopping. I doubly recommend that you drink some fantastic brews while watching Ken Burns’ Prohibition. Thank whatever powers you revere that we are no longer in that benighted period of our history.         I was on Lisa Morrison’s Beer O’Clock radio show yesterday to talk about Central Oregon Beer Week (which starts tomorrow!), the Central Oregon Brewers Guild, and beer in Central Oregon generally. You can listen on the embedded player on that page, and between all my “uhs” and “ums” you might get a sense of what I was talking about! Overall it was a fun experience to call in and talk beer, and I definitely have to thank Lisa for having me! (And you should listen to the rest of the show regularly too.) Beer Drinker of the year, J. Wilson invited bloggers last month to highlight breweries that were worthy of a bigger audience. Grimm Brothers is the second stop for our May breweries tour. Click HERE to meet Grimm Brothers. The Month of May is Pyramid Brewing Spring Beer Review month and we continue on with a maibock which is very appropriate for the month.  Estilo: American Wild Ale / Fruit Beer Teor Alcoólico: 8,0% Aparência: Coloração cobre escuro, opaca, espuma bege, cremosa, de ótima formação, duração e retenção Aroma: Uva, ácido, madeira, fermento, leve framboesa, mofo e picante Paladar: Uva, fermento, bastante ácido, framboesa, madeira, mofo, seca, picante, final adstringente e azedo, corpo baixo à médio de textura oleosa, alta carbonatação efervescente, álcool imperceptível Excelente cerveja artesanal de Marentino, uma pequena vila perto de Turim, no norte da Itália. Produzida pela LoverBeer em 2010 com 20% de mosto de uva Freisa (famosa pelos ótimos vinhos da região de Piemonte) e fermento selvagem. A receita varia ano a ano, e como toda boa cerveja de fermentação espontânea, ela é ácida, frutada, complexa e extremamente saborosa lembrando as já consagradas Lambics frutadas (Kriek, Framboise) belgas. 
Wham-O, creators of Slip ‘N Slide, introduce Slip ‘N Slide: Craft Beer Hydro-Jovial Edition, a new, homemade variation for the artisan aficionado!  First job was at Brakspear Brewery, then Berkshire Brewery learnt about consistency and quality. Moved to Sharps Brewery, been there ten years. Molson-Coors bought Sharps due to Stuart's passion for flavour and depth.
Note: This was written live as the presentation was happening and posted as soon as it finished so I apologise for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors.
The panelists were beer bloggers Mark Dredge from Pencil and Spoon, Marverine Cole from Beer Beauty, and Zak Avery from The Beer Boy. Mark: Creative writing degree, space in the beer blogging world for another blog. Got a social media job at a big university, helped him learn even more about it. Took the blogging a bit further with twissups and Open It!. Getting up at 5am to write the blog as it was the only time he had to spare. Got a published paid-for piece which pushed him further still. Moved on from the uni to a social media PR company tweeting about hospitality, polishing glasses, etc. - pretty boring stuff. Started talking to Camden Town Brewery about doing their social media for them. Deals with all their marketing, branding, etc. Enlightening to see what is on the 'other side'. Finds it difficult now to blog about certain topics because he now works for a brewery - should he mention his brewery or not? His next step is to write a beer book, which got accepted around six weeks ago. Zak: Was finishing off his PHD and walked past BeerRitz and noticed that they were hiring and so took the job. Moved from studying for his PHD to managing the beer shop. Wine tastings were popular but no one was really pushing beer tastings. First couple were terrible, due to lack of planning but he carried on refining the sessions. He noticed a conversation occurring in the beer blogging world rather than just top-down information pushing so he started blogging. Twist of fate meant that he was able to buy BeerRitz and it's wholesale company. Marverine: Has an MA in journalism and trained as a news presenter, done radio and TV and continues to work in the industry. Used to be a wine drinker but started to explore the beer world and hasn't stopped. Wanted her beer blog to be different, a bit girlie almost a fashion blog for beer. Wanted to push the video side as that was her background. Started to set up beer tastings for women, very stressful when you are holding down a day job too. Event was setup for fifty women, ended up being oversubscribed, ended up with seventy women! Showed a short, excellently produced film of snippets of what she's done for beer on TV in the past year or so. Need to push the beer message out to the general masses, that's the only way that opinion and sales of beer is going to increase. Zak: Was asked to write the 500 Beers book, joined the British Guild of Beer Writers and asked for help on writing a book brief. When he asked the publisher why they approached him to write the book they said it was because of the wealth of information on his blog. He also started to experiment with short video reviews recording and publishing unedited videos on YouTube. 
Let me begin by stating that I know absolutely nothing about this beer other than the following:
1. It is brewed with almonds and cherries.
2. It required me to undress it before consuming.
This beer came with an unusual paper wrapping that covered the beer.
Sure it kind of looks fancy (as does the cork & cage) and I like opening presents as much as the next guy, but I appreciate it more knowing that it inevitably helped keep sunlight from reaching the beer. Much like the wrapping, the bottle size is also unusual, ringing in at 12.7 oz. Go figure. Mikkeller has never had a reputation for doing this according to convention, after all. This is something I really like about them, so it only adds to my excitement to try this beer. Let's pour!
Aroma 10/12
It begins rather vinously, but soon lets in floral notes which are quickly usurped by a sharper citrus aroma. The sour cherries come behind that citrus, but blend very well with it. A warmth becomes apparent from time to time but is well hidden.
Appearance 3/3
Generally fruit beers have little head, but this proved to be the exception in its size but not its duration. It provided about a finger of fizzy head that didn't linger long, yet still managed to leave some lacing - definitely not something I expected in a fruit beer. It pours the color of a blush wine, but once in the glass it becomes a cloudy sunset red at the bottom with some cider-like brown hues toward the top. Very interesting color palette.
Flavor 15/20
What a unique brew. This is not overly sweet or tart like most cherry beers, but instead appears to be using the almonds as a balancing agent instead of combining them both into some sort of "amaretto beer." It begins with a very light, barely tart, cherry flavor and when held in the mouth the sweetness dulls a bit more. Holding in the mouth also brings that citrus sharpness on the sides of the tongue and a slight bitter not unlike the rind of a fruit. As the beer warms the cherry's and almond's sweetness come forward nicely, but make sure not to create an overly sweet beer. Balance was definitely considered when making this beer and it was not in vain. This is especially evident in the finish. Immediately after swallowing a sweet gulp of cherry/almond/tart goodness, the finish provides a perfect amount of light bitter to balance the sweetness as well as aid to a cleaner finish. This is not a beer that will leave your mouth slimy with sugars! In fact, even though it's a cherry beer the bitter wins out in the finish and carries on into the aftertaste. Not a particularly strong beer, but if the fruit flavors were more intense, I don't see how it could maintain this balance.
Mouthfeel 4/5
It started out very much like one would expect a fruit beer to start: high levels of champagne-like carbonation that prick the tongue. Even though this is only a 12.7 fl oz bottle, those levels died down pretty quickly and the bottom half of the bottle was much easier to drink. The body isn't heavy, but it's larger than one expects a fruit beer to be, and the 8.0% ABV must have been contributed by ninjas because it is completely invisible.
Overall Impression 5/10
I think that the more I drank of this beer the less I was impressed. Yes, there was a good, less than authentic, cherry sweetness and it wasn't overdone. It also managed to provide a great balance and a nice finish for we would all assume to be a sweeter style of beer. However, while the flavor was balanced, it wasn't all that present to begin with. As mentioned earlier, a more intense fruit beer will be harder to balance (any and all brewmasters, please read that as a challenge). However, dulling down the fruit (a.k.a. flavor) for the sake of balance is... well... cheating. Don't rob me of flavor, just try to balance it out some other way. Some could call this beer nuanced, but I feel like it's just a weaker version of a cherry ale.
Total 37/50
Had only this beer turned out like its promising aroma! Heck, I might've even been pleased with a sweeter brew, whether that be like a lambic or like an amaretto. The aroma was quite nice, but the flavor seemed thin and bland in comparison. For those that dig a more mellow, less sweet, fruit beer, this could be right up your alley. However, for those of us who have easy access to New Glarus' Wisconsin Belgian Red (and enjoy a fruit beer from time to time), this brew simply does not cut the mustard. I appreciate their attempt at balance, I really do. Balance is seldom a bad thing, but in this case it comes at the expense of flavor. Bummer for Mikkeller since I really admire the brewery and what they do. However, this beer does not live up to their high standard.
Disclaimer: This beer was sent to me by the brewery as a promotional sample
Elder Betty pours a nice light orange color. It is very cloudy and has a nice white head. The nose is super fruity with the elderberries taking center stage. Behind the fruit there are some bits of bread and toasted oats, but the main character in the odor of this beer is berries. On my first taste I was surprised that the berries didn’t show up right off the bat. Rather, a nice honey malt flavor took center stage at the opening. A mild berry flavor comes in, but it is not nearly as strong as the nose promises, which is a good thing. There is some slight bread at the finish but no signs of hops. This beer finishes a bit too sweet for my liking, but as I have said before, I think that a lot of fruit beers finish too sweet. There were no hop flavors present to help dry Elder Betty out. This isn’t a bad fruit beer and I would actually consider it one of the better ones that I have ever had. The berry flavor is mild enough to not totally kill this beer. I think my favorite part about this beer was that I wasn’t burping berry flavor for the whole night. If they could just find a way to dry this one out a bit more it I would enjoy it much more. For a guy who really doesn’t like fruit beers, this one was rather drinkable.
Related posts: 
3.4
AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20 I
tried He’Brew’s original "Genesis Ale" several years ago and hated it. I
chalked it up to a bad bottle but never got around to giving it a
proper re-review. This is as close as I come, although technically
He’Brew Genesis Dry Hopped Session Ale is a different brew. It’s
definitely better than the original, but it’s still an average beer at
best and it’s incorrectly named.
I poured a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass. Appearance: Pretty dark orange/brick red hue; clear body with visible carbonation. Forms a generous, dirty white, foamy head which laces and retains quite well. Smell: For a beer that boasts that it’s dry hopped it’s surprisingly mild in the aroma department. Faint notes of citrus and some malty sweetness, but otherwise neutral and mute. Taste: This is one of those beers that doesn’t really know what it wants to be. American pale ale would probably be the best way to classify it, but He’Brew Genesis Dry Hopped Session Ale wants to be something else as you can probably tell from the name. It’s got the basic composition of a pale ale, but instead of genuine hop taste it’s more of a general bitterness. Mild up front with light bitterness, then a strong wave of malty/confectionary sweetness followed by a drying bitter flavor and sensation. It finishes quite clean, which I suppose is the point since it wants to be sessionable. Still, the flavors that are here aren’t particularly enjoyable. The sweetness is reminiscent of the flavors often found in a Marzen-type lager with hints of toffee and yellow lollipop. Despite the label’s indication of three types of hops used in the boil there isn’t much hop taste. It’s just a dry sensation. Drinkability: While I didn’t particularly enjoy drinking this beer, at least I didn’t have to struggle with it. The mouthfeel is on the lighter end with fine carbonation and it goes down very smooth with just a slightly pasty aftertaste, but that’s not what makes a beer a "session ale." Session beer is traditionally classified by ABV and should be no stronger than 4% in the UK or 4.5% in the USA. He’Brew Genesis Dry Hopped Session Ale weighs in at 5.6% - far too heavy to be a session beer or even "sessionable" by most standards. Although it’s not the potency that keeps this from being a session beer, it’s the uninspired palate. 
The main plan was to visit Block 15 Brewery, with a possible stop at Flat Tail Brewing as well; I had emailed ahead of time to Block 15 and was able to get the tour (their barrel program is indeed amazing!), and we were just going to see what are time looked like for the rest. It turned out to be a great trip: not only Block 15, but we checked out Les Caves as well (Block 15′s next-door Belgium-inspired beer bar), then stopped in to Flat Tail for the sampler tray and appetizers, and then made it over to Oregon Trail Brewery, Corvallis’ oldest brewery (since 1987) for a bonus stop! These three breweries are all within a couple of blocks of each other in downtown, easy walking between them. Over the next few days I’ll be posting my notes and reviews of each. And if you haven’t been to Corvallis lately, what are you waiting for?
ALDERGROVE, BC – Dead Frog Brewery has announced via a YouTube video that the recipe for Dead Frog Pale Ale has been revamped, with the beer being given the following new description:
The new Dead Frog Pale Ale is available now in BC and Saskatchewan, and will be launched soon in Alberta.
It’s that time of year when the mercury is consistently above 75 degrees, the lawn and outdoor areas require constant attention, grills are fired up frequently, and everybody just wants to be outside. It’s also that time of year when many people turn back to their old standby beers of canned piss because of their light, cold, and water-like characteristics to quench their thirst. Consider this a Public Service Announcement: You need not reach for that swill anymore. You can find light bodied, crisp flavored, thirst quenching beers that actually achieve quality in taste and style for these summer months without regressing into the pool water that is Miller/Bud/Coors. For this installment of a summer brew review (HA! A rhyme…free of charge!), I present Victory Brewing Company’s Prima Pils.
Victory Brewing Company (http://victorybeer.com/) is located in Downington, PA, close to the beer hub that is Philadelphia. Opened in 1996, Victory has become adept at making a wide variety of styles and flavor profiles, with influences both American and European. Readily available across the country, this is a beer just about all of my readers should be able to get their hands on. Prima Pils is a German-style Pilsener, with an ABV of 5.3%, an IBU of 44, and it is available year-round. For the Prima Pils, I will provide you with two reviews, one from a bottle and one on-tap, and this will also show some of the subtle differences that can be seen when changing serving styles.
Poured on-tap and served in a pint glass, the beer is a bright, flourescent yellow coloring with a huge amount of carbonation. There was a light, foamy white head across the top. The nose dances with light aromas of toast and lemon, which is very enticing. The flavors were effervescent and sharp, keeping the beer very light. Lemon essence and toasted malt, with slight sour and hoppy green undertones flood the taste buds. The finish is a bit roasty and lingering, with an astringent, drying, puckering and you get the point feel, which is very appropriate for the style. If you find yourself at an establishment with outdoor seating and Prima Pils on-tap, then my friend, you have found a place to stay for a bit.
Picture by Paul A. Ner, http://bythepint.com/victory-prima-pils Now, on to the bottle serving, which will be more appropriate for the lawnmowing/grilling/sitting around outside the house scenarios. Poured from a bottle into a pint glass, the beer is a straw-yellow color, slightly cloudy, with no head or film. The beer has grainy and roasty smells, with bits of toasted wheat infiltraiting the nose. Flavors start off light, but burst through strongly on the mid-tongue. There are characteristics of smokey malt, cereal/grain, a hint of citrus and a splash of hops, which is refreshing in a Pils. The beer has a slightly sour aftertaste, with a filmy and long finish. Very smooth, despite the crisp and light body and slightly hopped flavor. Very easy to drink, and great with strong flavored foods, especially spicy ones. Drinkability and light flavors give this an overall thirst quenching character, and weighing in 5.3% ABV, this is very sessionable.
So, my dear readers and fellow fans of the craft brew, get outside and do whatever it is you need to do. Or, get outside and soak in the great weather. Either way, grab yourself a real beer when you go out. Hot weather is no excuse for a regression in quality. And make sure to wear sunscreen…sunburns are a bitch, and you can trust that coming from this pale, Irish powder lookalike. Welcome to summer everyone, and as always, drink educated my friends!        
I was prepared to disagree quite strongly with Brian Palmer's Slate article "Pliny the Younger: Can there really be a “best” beer?". Turns out, I don't. I've mentioned before that rating rare, hard to find beers so highly on BeerAdvocate and Rate Beer does a disservice to the beers and to people looking for beer to try. If you don't like hoppy beers, then would you be more likely to order a Pliney the Younger, even assuming you could get close to a bar that had it, because it is the best beer in the world according to BeerAdvocate? Probably not. You'd probably stick to something you like. Palmer's article finishes the best beer in the world thought early in the piece, and then goes on the talk about how democratic beer is. And he gets off a few good lines. If you don’t agree with their decisions, you can just email the seven ordinary beer-swillers currently in charge. Good luck airing your grievances to the folks who make the AOC rules that govern winemaking in Bordeaux.and Professional brewers show up at home brew competitions to learn new ideas and techniques, and they read Internet reviews to learn what people are saying about their latest release. (I assure you the good folks at Château Latour do not care what some guy in Kansas thinks about the 2010 vintage.) 
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Yesterday my wife and I took a day trip over to 
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