Michiana Beer Nuts Anniversary Party

Come one, come all to the Michiana Beer Nuts 2nd Anniversary Part at The Constant Spring in Goshen, IN on March 3rd.

Michiana Beer Nuts is run by a fellow blogger (only much more experienced and with a bigger following) by the name of Eric Strader.  Eric has been running Michiana Beer Nuts under the auspices of the Elkhart Truth for two years now, and for such a tremendous milestone, a special party is being thrown at The Constant Spring.  As you may know, I don't need a lot of arm-twisting to go a party, however hearing that Dark Horse Brewing Company will be on tap makes this all the more enticing.  From what I understand, the lineup from Dark Horse includes Crooked Tree (IPA, 6%), either Too Cream Stout (Milk Stout, 8%) or Tres Blueberry Stout (American Stout, 4.5%), and possibly some Scotty Karate (Scotch Ale, 9.75%).

Assuming I can get out of the house for a few hours, I will certainly be there.

Andy
andy@thebeerisgood.com

The Livery Brew Pub

It's Oscar Sunday, and what does that mean?  Nothing at all, so I may as well cap off a great weekend by making yet another Brew Pub trip!  This time, I headed up to Benton Harbor in Michigan with two good friends of mine, Ed and Flo, to The Livery (www.liverybrew.com).  I had been hearing about this place for a while now, but after hooking up with them via Facebook and finding out they give tours of their brewing operation on certain Sundays, I decided it was time to give them a try.

The Livery is situated downtown on 5th street, right off of Main street, in what I've been told is the art district.  In an otherwise struggling town, this area displays what Benton Harbor once was, and again could be.  Contained within a fairly unassuming big brick building lies an upstairs and downstairs bar area.  From what I could tell, the upstairs portion had a handful of their beer on tap, while downstairs had far more of their "hand-forged microbrews."

We were a few minutes early for the brewery tour at 3, so we decided to pass the time by drinking some beer; we collectively chose the Karhu IPA.  I don't recall what the IBU was, however I'm guessing it is somewhere around 70, with an ABV of 6.5%.  Karhu has a very nice golden orange color with a thick white head and an unfiltered yeast cloudiness.  The aroma was of grapefuit, citrus and floral hops, which according to their website comes from the use of Chinook, Amarillo, Centennial and Mt. Hood hops.  I could tell how well my friends enjoyed their choice, as the glasses seemed to empty quickly.

While we were enjoying our first beer, we also had the opportunity to walk outside, across the patio and into the brewery.  Although small, they seemed to make use of every space possible, even converting a storage room into a space for aging beer in casks.  They had several varieties of beer in the fermenting tanks where they'll stay until the desired characteristics have been met.  Much to my surprise, there is no bottling operation at this time, but I was assured that they have plans for this in the future, and I'm certainly looking forward to buying their IPA at my local shop.  Tours are given the 2nd and 4th Sunday between 3-5, so if you are a beer enthusiast like me, make sure you check it out.

Back into the Pub for another beer, this time selecting a German Dunkel (of which I don't have the stats on), with the guys trying the brown ale and stout.  This is turning out to be a really great find, and not too far of a drive from South Bend.  For the remainder of our stay, we took in the atmosphere, told jokes and remarked at how good the beer was.  Getting out of town and trying something new in our area seemed to pay off.

My thoughts - this place is great.  The service and selection was outstanding, the surroundings were comfortable and the place invites you to have a good time.  Without a doubt, the beer is good, and I recommend you give it a try too.

-Andy
andy@thebeerisgood.com

3 Floyds Brew Pub

My Wife - "The kids are away Saturday night, would you be interested in checking out 3 Floyds?"
Me - "Hell yes."

Date night was on.

We made the trip down to Munster, IN, approximately 75 minutes from South Bend.  In the heart of an industrial park sits 3 Floyds (or FFF to some) brew pub.  To avoid long lines and get back home at a reasonable time, we left at 2:30 and arrived just before 3 local time.  Our plan to avoid lines didn't work, as there were already 15 people waiting before us, the parking lot was full and cars lined the narrow street.  In most restaurants, this line would have move quickly, but not here.  We found that once people get in, sit down and start receiving their beer, they don't want to leave!  We waited in line for about 45 minutes, something I would never do for most places, but this was different.

The heavily tattooed and pierced doorman finally permitted entry.  We made our way into the dimly lit pub and to our table with a window view of the brewery.  The overall atmosphere of this place is really cool, with punk/metal themed artwork filling the walls and random flags hanging from the ceiling.  Unlike most pubs which would be playing some sporting event, FFF was showing a Bruce Lee movie.  Their menu was far less stylish and much more straight to the point, with beer occupying roughly 2/3 of it.

I was a kid in a candy store... With so many beers to choose from, how could I be expected to pick just a few?  There were some favorites you can find around here such as Gumball, Dreadnaught and Alpha King, as well as many you can't.  In the mood for my favorite style, I went with Cortez, a single hop (El Dorado) Pale Ale with 45 IBU and 7% ABV.  There is no room for beer judging on date night, I didn't even take notes.  With that being said, this was a mighty fine brew, crisp, clean and refreshing.  As good as this was, the next choice was even more important.  Knowing that I have to drive, and the trip was fairly long, the next selection would have to be my last.  Next up, Robert the Bruce, a scottish-style ale with 6.5% ABV and 24 IBU's.  This was another really solid beer, with roasted malts and a full body.  If you are in the mood for something different, they also have a lengthy list of guest brews, both on tap and in the bottle/can.  Much to my surprise, they had PBR... I hope that was a joke.

An hour and a half later, our meal and beer finished, it was time to go.  You didn't think I would call it quits with just two beers did you?  I was sure to pick up a growler of Pride and Joy, a mild session ale, on our way out.  Overall, I was impressed with 3 Floyds and thoroughly enjoyed my time there.  The Beer Is Good, the atmosphere was unique and although slow, the service was great.

Although I'm no restaurateur, I suppose a few of you care about the food... it was good.  You're not going to find roast duck or foie gras, just really good pub food.  The pizza I ordered rivaled that of many NYC pies I've had, and my wife had an incredible roast beef sandwich.  If you can convince a designated driver to accompany you, I'm sure they'll be satisfied with the food.

After this experience, I will undoubtedly be there on April 30th for Dark Lord Day!   

By the way...

If you plan to tour the brewery (which I had hoped to), call ahead to reserve your spot.  Tours were given at 1, 2:30 and 4, unfortunately I was unable to see any of them.

What I've been drinking lately...

Hardly a week goes by before I get asked, "Andy, what are you on?"  Ok, I'm mostly joking, however I do frequently get asked what I've been drinking lately, and regardless of the occasional blank stare, I enjoy answering.  No beer review here, just solid consumption and relaxation...

The first, something I've thoroughly enjoyed this year from one of my favorite breweries: Dogfish Head (Based in Delaware) Indian Brown Ale.  As some of you may be aware, the Indian Brown Ale style is a fairly recent addition to the craft beer industry with its well balanced mixture of rich roasted malts and floral hops.  Inside you'll find some coffee flavor, slight brown sugar notes, and unmistakable floral hops.  At around 7.5%, it's no session beer, but a damn good 2-3 pint beverage.  Some area liquor stores carry this, and you can find it (while it lasts) on tap at Bar Louie in Mishawaka.

The other is from another favorite brewer of mine, Stone Brewing Company in California.  Their IPA should please hopheads and beer enthusiast alike with its Columbus, Chinook and Centennial hop varieties hitting 77 IBU's.  Sitting at 6.7% ABV, you'll have just the right amount of boozy warmth to drink a handful of these.  This can also be found at local liquor stores in the South Bend area, as well as being on tap at Bar Louie. 


-Andy
TheBeerIsGood.com Owner, Editor-In-Chief and Senior Researcher

Founders Double Trouble

Style: Imperial IPA
Brewery: Founders (foundersbrewing.com)
Package: Bottle into Pint Glass
ABV: 9.4%
Gravity: Unknown
IBU: 86
Location: Citywide Liquors (Downtown South Bend)

Aroma:  There is a big grapefruit, citrus and pine aroma that is almost overwhelming. 

Appearance: Golden like a pilsner, fairly clear with a light white head that dissipates quickly.

Taste:  Hide your kids, hide your wife, this is VERY bitter (86 IBU's compared with 5-10 for beers like Budweiser, Miller, etc).  The smell of citrus and pine is amplified when you taste this, with some malty sweetness lost somewhere among the hops.  There is a smooth alcohol burn towards the end, but definitely not too much.  This is considered an Imperial IPA, which fits the category perfectly. 

Mouthfeel: Light and smooth with a VERY dry finish.  Mild carbonation.

Drinkability: This drink is for the hophead and adventurous alike.  Getting toward the bottom of this pint, my taste buds actually started to hurt.  I certainly enjoy a hoppy beer and while this one was quite good, it's not something I would drink regularly.  It comes in a 4-pack for good reason.  

Notes: Founders is based out of Grand Rapids, and I've tried many of their other styles, all of which are pretty solid.  It would be nice to know what varieties of hops they used for this.  If you happen to know, leave a comment.

Food Pairing:  Spicy and/or fried food goes great with this, and many other IPA's.  Other ideas include chinese, pizza, burgers, etc.

Grade: A

Bell's Hopslam

Style: Double IPA (winter seasonal)
Brewery: Bell's (www.bellsbeer.com)
Package: Bottle into Pint Glass
ABV: 10%
Gravity: 1.087
IBU: Unkown (But crazy high)
Location: Citywide Liquors (Downtown South Bend)

Aroma:  Plenty of hops, very floral with hints of sweet honey.  Very slight citrus aroma from the hops.

Appearance:  Dark honey colored, slightly reddish. A thick and bubbly white head.

Mouthfeel:  Crisp, clean finish with just the right amount of carbonation.

Drinkability:  Great tasting beer, definitely one for fellow hopheads.  Although it hits 10% ABV, there is only a slight alcohol warmth towards the end of a sip.  This is certainly not a session beer, but something to be enjoyed on occasion.

Notes:  Another great beer from this Kalamazoo area brewery.  Although this is an extremely hoppy beer (Didn't you notice the name?), it's balanced out with the sweetness of honey to the point that non-hop lovers might even enjoy this.  If you are someone who is accustomed to drinking pilsner, or any beer with the word "lite" in it and rarely stray into the world of craft beer, this is probably not for you.  In fact, please don't buy it, save it for me!  However if you insist on diminishing the local supply, you can find it currently at the downtown South Bend Citywide Liquors.  Feel free to post a comment with other locations you have seen this!

Food Pairing:  Spicy and/or fried food goes great with this, and many other IPA's.  Other ideas include chinese, pizza, burgers, etc.

Grade: A+

Prelude: Skunky green bottle and the tail of my first beer buzz

Well, we've all seen this coming.  After suggestions from my wife, friends, and even my boss, I have finally come around to writing about my experiences with beer.  This will be mostly dedicated to beer reviews, but will also cover other topics such as Hops, Glasses, Bars and whatever random thought fills my head at the time.  Before I hit you with my ramblings, I feel a short back story is in order...

Now I would never advocate underage drinking, however my infatuation with beer began when I was 13 years old, living in the suburbs of Memphis, TN.  Preston, my best friend at the time, and I started the "Imported Beer Society" (aka I.B.S., not to be confused with Irritable Bowel Syndrome).  The name came not from our extensive background in imported beer, or any beer for that matter, but a certain curiosity for drinking better than average beer.  The Imported Beer Society had its first official gathering shortly after inception.  Heineken was procured from another friend's creepy older brother who gladly purchased not only a sixer, but also a pack of Swishers Sweets cigars with a 20 I had given him, in exchange for being able to keep the change.

Barely teenagers, we had nowhere to refrigerate our beverage, nor could it be left outside in the warm southern climate, so for a week its storage was under a pile of clothes in my closet.  The night finally arrived when we would be able to drink imported beer, like men.  After smuggling it over to my friend's house and stashing it in his parent's detached garage, we waited for everyone to go to sleep.  I think our intention was to wait until midnight, maybe later, to crack open our first beer.

And then it happened, roughly 11 o'clock... it was time.  We cracked open the first two of our warm Heinekens and took a swig, thinking this skunky flavor had to be what damn good beer tastes like.  We lit our gas station cigars from behind the garage, keeping a careful watch on the house for signs of being spotted.  The taste of dirt and burning tree leaves from the cigar must also have been an example of high quality, after all, I doubt either of us had heard of a humidor.  After a few puffs of the cheap tobacco, they were quickly extinguished, our first bottles emptied and on to round two.  I remember thinking how cool it was that we were drinking an imported beer, although I doubt I knew anything of its origins, composition or how it compared to other fine beers.  Down goes bottle number two... hello buzz.  For reasons still unknown to me today, we decided two each was enough, and to dispose of the remaining two, being careful to leave no trace behind.

Often when I think of all the incredible beers I have tried, from Dogfish's 90min IPA and Bell's Hopslam to Founder's Breakfast Stout and Sierra Nevada's 30th Anniversary line, it brings me back to that warm green bottle.  To this day, I still get excited when the opportunity comes along to try a new beer.

-Andy