3 Floyds Sightings In Ohio

For the first time since 2008, Ohio appears to be getting some 3 Floyds love again thanks to Cavalier Distributing.

The quantities appear to be limited at locations such as Bedford Heights-based Lizardville Beer Store & Whiskey Bar; 1 bottle each per person and no growler fills for the beers available on tap. According to additional reports from Ohio residents online, the allocations are the same or similar at other area bottle shops and bars, but I'm sure Ohioans aren't going to complain too much. At least now they don't have to drive hundreds of miles west to get their delicious brew.

The confirmations of a 3 Floyds return started to roll in on Tuesday via the @Lizardville Twitter account with:

Followed by the @3floyds Twitter account on Wednesday:

And finally again today from @Lizardville:

A salute from us to both 3 Floyds and our Ohio neighbors to the East - Enjoy!

And to our neighbors to the North - Sorry, Michigan, your long wait for 3 Floyds continues...

Founders Nemesis (2010) at Fiddler's Hearth

We are getting closer and closer to the 1st Annual "The Beer Is Good at Fiddler's Hearth" event on November 5th. After speaking with Sean and Jeremy yesterday, we have decided that it is time to tease everyone again with yet another really awesome beer! (In addition to the Espresso Oak Aged Yeti by Great Divide). So without further ado...

Founders Nemesis (2010) will be on tap for as long as it lasts! This American Barleywine, sitting in at 12%, has been gracefully aging in the darkest regions of Fiddler's Hearth for over a year. Unless you have a couple of bottles squirreled away like I do, the chances of you ever seeing this again, especially on draft, are slim. Get some while you can!

We hope to see you all on November 5th at Fiddler's for this beer and SEVERAL other great surprises, Cheers! 

New Belgium Beer Dinner at Club LaSalle (South Bend, IN)

New Belgium Beer Dinner Menu

I just received a bit of information from Ben Amster of Indiana Beer regarding a beer dinner on October 13th at Club LaSalle in South Bend featuring craft beer from New Belgium Brewery.

What was the reasoning behind choosing New Belgium specifically for this event? According to Ben, the choice was simple...

"Choosing NBB was an easy choice.  There are few breweries available in our area that are as versatile in their catalog as NBB when it comes to gastronomy.  From flawlessly crafted fruity Belgian ales, to west coast hop bomb IPAs, to unique sours, to dark roasted malts, and everything in between, New Belgium’s beers cover every corner of the taste spectrum, which makes them ideal for creating a beer dinner with some real depth."

As for selecting Club LaSalle as the location for this dinner, he had nothing but great things to say about them...

"Club LaSalle is always a top choice for dinners.  They put on more beer and wine pairings than any other restaurant in the region, and have a staff that has a one minded vision of making these events spectacular.  The chefs are extremely experienced and therefore easy to work with.  More importantly, their clientele always shows up in droves for these events, because they know that they will always get something special.  This will be I believe my 7^th beer dinner with LaSalle in the last 2 years, and I think I am more excited for it than any of the previous events."

So if you are looking to have a great time in downtown South Bend on October 13th, make sure to attend! Reservations can be made by calling 574.288.1155 or visitng the Club LaSalle website.

Potawatomi Zoo Brew (South Bend, IN) Recap

Now that I've gone through the required two weeks of grieving over the loss that my Irish suffered at the hands of one of our most hated rivals, and whose name I refuse to utter on this blog, I am starting to feel comfortable reliving certain details of that evening... more specifically, Potawatomi Zoo Brew.

First off, setting craft beer aside for a moment, any event that supports your local Zoo is worth attending. I think it's very important to preserve this resource for current and future generations, and it's mostly through the generosity of others that we are able to experience these animals in our own city.

Back to Zoo Brew...

This was another really great event brought to us by Ben Amster of Indiana Beer, and many others. Due to time constraints, I wasn't able to arrive as early as planned, or stay nearly as long as I would have liked, but having the chance to say hello to fellow beer geeks, try a few beers and enjoy a warm evening outside was well worth my time and the money spent on tickets.

The logistics, staff and atmosphere was top notch. Getting through the lines to enter the event was smooth and efficient. There were laminated sheets with cab company phone numbers listed on the park benches outside of the zoo for those who "sampled" just one beer too many. The area within the park used specifically for this event had plenty of space to roam about without feeling too packed in. I was impressed with how this was organized, which I'm sure years of experience helped perfect. My only complaint would be the music, which at times was way too loud for me to be able to carry on a conversation with people, but that's likely a result of torturing my ear drums over the last 20 years.

As far as the beer is concerned, there were lots of regional favorites from the likes of Bell's, 3 Floyds, Dark Horse and others. Seeing local breweries such as Iechyd Da (Elkhart), Four Horsemen (South Bend) and Bare Hands (Granger) represented was the highlight of the evening, in my opinion. Given a more loose schedule, or not having to drive home afterward, I would have spent much more of my time at those 3 tents.

So what did you think of the event, and what was your favorite beer? My personal favorite of the evening was the Dry-Hopped Imperial Porter by Bare Hands; I hope Chris decides to brew this again sometime!

Quick Update on "The Beer Is Good at Fiddler's Hearth"

I don't know about you, but we are getting pretty excited for the 1st Annual "The Beer Is Good at Fiddler's Hearth" Craft Beer Party on November 5th. In addition to the great beer that Fiddler's is saving/ordering for this event, and beer brewed specially for this event by two different Indiana breweries, there will be great chances to interact with fellow beer geeks, grab some brewery schwag and food specials. We hope to see you there!

If you would like to RSVP (not required, and there is no cover to get in) you can check out the following links....

Facebook Event Page

Beer Advocate Event Page

Cheers!
Andy

On Tap Around South Bend...

Looking for a drink around South Bend? Here is what you can expect at a few places... Leave a comment if you have any questions. Cheers! -Andy

Fiddler's Hearth (Main Street, South Bend)

• Founders Centennial (American IPA, 7.2%)
• Schlafly Dry-Hopped American Pale (APA, 5.9%)
• Bells Two Hearted (American IPA, 7%)
• Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald (Porter, 5.8%)
• Great Lakes Lake Holy Moses (Witbier, 5.4%)
• Schlafly Kolsch (Kolsch, 4.5%)
• Sierra Nevada Summerfest (Czech Pilsener, 5%)
• 3 Floyds Pride and Joy (Mild Ale, 5%)
  
  

The Mark Dine and Tap (Eddy Street, South Bend)

• Figure 8 Ro Shampo (Red Ale, 7.5%)
• Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock (Doppelbock, 6.7%)
• New Holland Dragon's Milk (Stout, 10%)
• Stone Sublimely Self -Rightous (American Black, 8.7%)
• Dark Horse Crooked Tree (American IPA, 6%)
• North Coast Scrimshaw (German Pilsener, 4.4%)
  
  

Chubby Trout (Cassopolis Street, Elkhart)

• Southern Tier Harvest (ESB, 6.7%)
• Southern Tier Pumking (Pumpkin Ale, 8.6%)
• 3 Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf (American Double, 9%)
• Victory HopWallop (American Double, 8.5%)
• New Belgium Hoptober (American Blonde, 6%)
• Bells Oberon (American Pale Wheat, 5.8%)
• Bells Two Hearted (American IPA, 7%)
• Bell's Oarsman (Weissbier, 4%)
  
  

The Pub (Cleveland Rd, Mishawaka)

• Bells Oberon (American Pale Wheat, 5.8%)
• Bells Two Hearted (American IPA, 7%)
• 3 Floyds Zombie Dust (APA, 6.2%)
• Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald (American Porter, 5.8%)
• Stone Levitation (American Amber, 4.4%)
• Southern Tier 2xIPA (Double IPA, 8.2%)
• Founders Red's Rye (Rye, 6.6%)
  
  

Corndance (Grape Road, Mishawaka)

• Dark Horse Crooked Tree (American IPA, 6%)
• Bells Oberon (American Pale Wheat, 5.8%)
• New Belgium Fat Tire (Red Ale, 5.2%)
• New Holland Dragon's Milk (Stout, 10%)
  
  

Buffalo Wild Wings (Downtown South Bend)

• Nobody answered the phone when I called 3 times. Pass along if you know.
  
  

Bar Louie (Grape Road, Mishawaka)

• 3 Floyds Zombie Dust (APA, 6.2%)
• Flat 12 Half Cycle (American IPA, 6%)
• Flat 12 Tangerine Porter (American Porter, 5.5%)
• Schlafly Pumpkin Ale (Pumpkin Ale, 8%)
• 3 Floyds Robert the Bruce (Scottish Ale, 6.5%)
• Founders Breakfast Stout (Imperial Stout, 8.3%)
• Bell's Oberon (American Pale Wheat, 5.8%)
• Bell's Two Hearted (American IPA, 7%)
• 3 Floyds Gumballhead (American Pale Wheat Ale, 5.5%)
  
  

Legends of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN)

• Barely Island Dirty Helen (English Brown, 5.25%)
• Sierra Nevada Summerfest (Czech Pils, 5%)
• Bell's Oberon (American Pale Wheat, 5.8%)
• Founders Porter (American Porter, 6.5%)
• New Belgium Fat Tire (American Amber, 5.2%)
• Bell's Two Hearted (American IPA, 7%)
• Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold (Dortmunder, 5.8%)
• Bell's Amber (Amber, 5.8%)
• 3 Floyds Robert the Bruce (Scottish Ale, 6.5%)

How Strong Is That Beer? Google Might Know

You can use Google to do some cool and often very useful things besides just searching for websites. For example, you can find out what the weather is like, define a word, and do math calculations.

I may be a little late to this party, but now Google is apparently working on pairing beer with another item I love - tech.

Ever wondered what a beer's ABV was, but didn't have a quick way to find out? Try entering "[beer name here] abv" in Google's search bar and see what happens. (Substitute the actual name in place of [beer name here]. You can leave out the brackets and quotes as well.)

Right now, it appears not many work. Personally, I tried 30 different beers ranging from small breweries, big breweries, popular brands, limited releases, seasonals, and year-round offerings and the only two I could get to work were 60 minute ipa abv and stone ipa abv.

Oddly, zombie dust abv, which was the original example search of the user on Reddit who posted this nifty trick, no longer works. Another attempt that evidently did work at one time, but does not now, was 90 minute ipa abv. As another user noted, ommegang abbey ale abv and some of the other Ommegang brews worked then and continue to do so now. While not terribly effective at the moment, who knows where Google might end up going with this.

Yet another Reddit user in the above thread echoed my typical method for quickly searching out beer information. Just type in the name of the beer you're looking for, followed by "ba" or "rb" depending on if you prefer beeradvocate.com (ba) or ratebeer.com (rb), and you almost always receive a link to that beer on those websites right at the top of your results. hopslam ba, for example. This also has the added benefit of providing info beyond just the ABV.

So, has anyone else ran across this Google experiment? Leave your own findings of results that have worked in the comments!

Upland Nut Hugger Brown Ale

Finally, a TheBeerIsGood review has come back to Indiana! Bloomington, IN to be exact.

Style: Brown Ale
Brewery: Upland Brewing Company
Package: 12oz bottle into pint glass
ABV: 5.4%
IBU: 41.4

From Upland's description: "Sometimes, it’s good to be a bit nutty. Take, for instance, our Nut Hugger Brown Ale, a unique twist on a traditional recipe. The familiar, pleasant bitterness you would expect from a brown ale is present, tempered by a full, chewy caramel malt. However, things get interesting once you taste the hints of roasted biscuit and the chocolaty aroma, and to top it off, a touch of sweetness in the finish."
(Oh, how this review could be rife with "nut" jokes. Must... resist...)
Appearance: Dark caramel in color. Opaque. Held my glass up to some light and it looked dense in there. Small half-finger of off-white head that dissipated rapidly. Little to no lacing left behind.

Aroma: Nutty. Hazelnut. A little toffee and sweet malts.

Taste: Not sure what types of nuts, as I'm not a nut person, but it tastes of roasted nuttiness. Caramel sweetness coupled with chocolate and a hint of coffee as well. A little sweet here, but not too much. Touches of hops and bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light mouthfeel. Thought it would have been heavier, but it's not a bad thing that it isn't, in my opinion, as it doesn't take away from the brew at all. Easy on the carbonation and went down smooth.

Overall: A fine example of a brown ale. Too many are either lacking or overpowering in the aroma and taste departments. Nut Hugger was squarely balanced. For instance, the lingering aftertaste - There is one, but it's pleasing, not overpowering. It was very drinkable and I would easily have enjoyed more if I had originally purchased additional bottles. I do believe this is the best I've had from Upland yet.

Grade: A-

Completely subjective intangible (that didn't affect the review or overall grade): I take my pictures with a poor camera. There is no denying this. However, just look at the label again! (Here's a better image, in case my picture is actually that terrible.)
A squirrel drinking beer from a pint glass. That's how you do simplistic genius, people.
There are many great squirrels in history. (Right?) Upland Nut Hugger rises above most and joins the Weeeeeeeee! squirrel in the pantheon of them. (Link NSFW, unless foul-mouthed squirrels are somehow alright by your employer.)

The Oxford Companion to Beer by Garrett Oliver

So I normally don't recommend anything before I've had a chance to experience it for myself, but I think this has to be an exception. The Oxford Companion to Beer (Hardcover), written by Garrett Oliver of Brooklyn Brewery is sure to be a detailed guide to all things beer. If you've never heard of Mr. Oliver, he is probably one of the most famous brewers in our country, judges for Great American Beer Fest (and probably many others) and churns out some mighty fine beer for Brooklyn.

If you have a capable device or computer, you can also order the Kindle Edition of The Oxford Companion to Beer, which should be available on October 7th.

I prefer my kindle, so I will be pre-ordering this for 10/7 and once I've had a chance to read it, I will definitely post my thoughts.

In the interest of full disclosure, if you purchase this book through Amazon via the links I posted, I supposedly get some cut of the action, but I have no idea how much. If you were planning to purchase this book anyway, I would appreciate you use my links, as proceeds will be reinvested into the craft beer industry. Cheers!

Iechyd Da Brewery (Elkhart, IN) Press Release

Just received a Press Release from Iechyd Da Brewery that I wanted to pass along. I've been invited to stop by, try some of their beer and tour their new building, and hope to do that sometime this week, schedule permitting. It's always exciting to hear about new breweries opening up in our area, so without further ado...

For Immediate Release

Brewery Coming to Downtown Elkhart

September 19, 2011  Elkhart, IN – A microbrewery will fill an empty storefront on Main Street in Elkhart. Owners Chip and Summer Lewis have secured the building located at 317 N. Main as the future home of Iechyd Da (pronounced Yacky Dah) Brewing Company.  Renovations will begin soon and continue through the winter with a projected opening in April 2012.

The Lewises are capitalizing on the growing popularity of craft beer by bringing locally produced, artisan ales and lagers to the City with a Heart. Once open to the public, Iechyd Da will offer 7-10 rotating house-brewed beers along with simple, fresh food choices.

The pub will have seating for fifty and a new parking lot will be constructed next door to the building. When the decision was made to open a brewery, Owner/Brewer Chip Lewis had no doubt about where it should be located.

“I was born and raised in Elkhart. I love living here and I hope to be part of the great things happening on Main Street. My goal is to help bring people downtown with a product that is unique to our pub and our town,” said Lewis.

Lewis is of Welsh descent and can trace his lineage to the first arrival in 1635. The brewery name—Iechyd Da—pays homage to his heritage and is a Welsh toast equivalent to saying “Cheers!” 

Beer brewed by Iechyd Da will not be available for sale to the public until April; however the Lewises will be offering samples at tasting events throughout Michiana in the coming months. Iechyd Da Brewing Company will be featured with other local breweries at the South Bend Brewfest on October 22^nd at the Century Center in South Bend. Tickets are available at morriscenter.org.

Brewery progress may be followed on Facebook at www.facebook.com/iechyddabrew.

# # #

Collaboration Brew with Four Horsemen Brewing Co.

And by collaboration I mean, Stephen and Ben from FHBC allowed Jeremy from Fiddler's Hearth and I to choose what to brew out of two style options, as well as perform most of the manual labor under Stephen's very thorough and detailed tutelage. Some of you know what I do for a living, and it has absolutely nothing to do with manual labor, but with that said, pouring malt into the liquor and stirring is probably the most fun I've had in a long time. Of course they didn't just invite us down to brew with them for any old reason, they did so because we plan to release this special, high gravity beer for all to try at "The Beer is Good at Fiddler's Hearth" event on November 5th.   

Think you have FHBC figured out? Think again...

While the liquor was heating up, Stephen, Ben, Jeremy and I all had a great opportunity to talk about their beer and where they fit into the regional craft beer scene. I think we all know what they aren't. FHBC isn't about huge, in-you-face hop explosions or motor-oil thick stouts aged in barrels that Merlin originally used to store potions. They are being different by not being extreme; brewing beers that are easy to drink and won't knock you on your ass after one or two. Don't like a particular beer they have on tap? Try again in a couple of weeks, because they are diligently tweaking the recipes to get them just the way they want them.

Amid the brewing, talking shop and watching ESPN, they also brought out some very special beers to sample from other breweries. I won't give away the styles or breweries we "researched" in case they want to keep what they are working on a surprise, but Jeremy and I had a lot of fun. Stephen's knowledge of the style, its history, how it's brewed and why was more in depth than I could have imagined.

When it comes to the beer geeks, well they aren't easy to please... I know because I'm a card carrying member of this club. If the session beers that FHBC is crafting now aren't your thing, look for their higher gravity brew they will be tinkering with soon. Overall, their goal is to perfect the styles they consider to be their flagship products, before going off on wild tangents.

I originally intended this piece to be about the special FHBC brew that Jeremy and I came to help out with, but it quickly turned into our entire experience with these guys. If you haven't stopped out to the tasting room, I highly recommend it. They are passionate and knowledgeable about beer, they have a vision for how they fit into the beer scene, and are extremely welcoming. Jeremy and I agreed, hanging out with these guys was one of the coolest experiences we've had during our journey through the craft beer world.

Make sure to stop by Fiddler's Hearth on November 5th to taste this latest creation, it's certain to not disappoint.

3 Floyds 15th Anniversary Party

Two of my favorite things are coming together on November 12th; 3 Floyds and Party. More specifically, FFF is throwing a 15th Anniversary Party at the Brewery, and they are releasing a special beer for this purpose!

According to their Blog Post, the XV brew will be a blend of Surley Darkness, Mikkeller's Beer Geek Brunch, De Struise's Black Albert and FFF Dark Lord for "maximum ass kickery," as they describe.

A few quick talking points...

- Takes place on 11/12/11
- Tickets are $25ea, only 2500 tix will be sold
- 700 of the 2500 tix will be sold at the brewery, the rest online. Date to be announced
- XV will be bottled and sold for $30ea, bottle limit will be determined at packaging
- All of the 4 breweries represented in XV will also have beer available at the event
- Live entertainment and plenty of food will be available

I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it to the anniversary party, however if anyone is feeling generous enough to bring me back a bottle, you will be my best friend for the day.

Cheers, and congratulations to 3 Floyds on 15 years!

Old Style and Wrigley Field Team Up Again

Two topics very close to my heart: Beer and baseball. Specifically the Chicago Cubs when it comes to the latter.

They nearly ended a streak this season. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be their championship drought. Maybe worse, since Cubs fans need all the beer they can get their hands on to drink their sorrows away, the 62 year streak of serving Old Style in the stands and concessions of Wrigley Field was threatened.

But now, in a deal announced last week, Old Style is back at The Friendly Confines!

For the 2012 and 2013 seasons, at least.

It may be hard to wrap your noodle around why Cubs fans are rejoicing about this. There's the prominent selling and sponsorship of Bud products at Wrigley. A 'C', or mediocre, rating by users on BeerAdvocate. The fact that it's a macrobrew, although maybe much smaller than it once was. Hell, it wasn't even the preferred beer of the late, great sportscaster and Cubs icon, Harry Caray himself.

Granted I wasn't around in 1950 when Wrigley Field and Heileman's began one of the longest, if not the longest, partnership in all of sports, however, I usually catch at least a couple of games a year in person and when I do, I set aside my love affair with craft beer and still drink nothing but Old Style at the ballpark. It's the nostalgia. Tradition. Every time you walk into Wrigley Field you feel like you're stepping back in time. The old, manually operated scoreboard. The ivy growing on the outfield walls. The surrounding Wrigleyville neighborhood. "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch.

If Old Style and Wrigley Field are considered wrong, then I don't want to be right.

Alas, we'll see where the team and the beer go in another couple of years. Yesterday, toiling at 65-85 and 5th in their division, the Cubs hosted the also lowly Astros, as well as an Old Style Fan Appreciation Day. 62 randomly chosen fans - you guessed it, one for each year Old Style has been at Wrigley - received Cubs Cash and Old Style gifts.

In true Cub fashion, the team blew a 3-1 lead in the 9th. Then they won in the 12th.

There is Old Style, and maybe hope, for "next year" yet.

The Week (Or Two) In Labels

Aaaaand... We're back with more labels! Quite a few from local/regional breweries, so let's dive right in, shall we?

Jolly Pumpkin La Roja Grand Reserve - ??% ABV, oak aged amber ale. Jolly Pumpkin is located in Dexter, MI, just west of Ann Arbor. *Shakes fist angrily at the nearby Wolverines*

Surly Darkness - ~10% Russian Imperial Stout - For the fifth year in a row, Brooklyn Center, MN based Surly brought the creepy for this highly sought-after pint-sized bottle.

Greenbush 1825 - 9.3% Belgian-style golden ale. Label darlings Greenbush strike again with 1825. I'm hoping the "little something special" is just love.

New Holland Charkoota Rye - ~8% smoked rye dopplebock. Not a new beer, but I believe a new label for this bomber that follows New Holland's High Gravity Series stock.

Bell's Eccentric Ale 2010 - 10-12% strong ale. From the label copy: "Malt beverage brewed with maple syrup with spices added." and "Brewed under the discerning eye of Larry." Hmm, sounds interesting.

Southern Tier Eurotrash Pilz - 5% pilsner lager. With a name like that, we have our random "WTF?" label winner of the week out of New York - You keep it classy, Southern Tier!

3 Floyds Zombie Dust Bottles

This is basically old news now, as information about Three Floyds Zombie Dust being bottled and available at the Brewpub has been reported by several people. With that being said, we here at TBIG.com are huge dust heads, so I couldn't help mentioning at least a little somethin' somethin' about this momentous occasion.

For the record, Zombie Dust is one of my favorite brews, an American Pale Ale at 6.2%, and priced at $10/6 pack or $35 for a case. There was much speculation about what the price would be, since a growler would set you back $24. In my opinion, $10 is definitely a reasonable asking price.

I've talked to local South Bend stores who have mentioned that they expect to see some in the future, but really have no idea when. Also speaking with World Class Beverage, the distributor for 3 Floyds in most or all of Indiana, did not reveal a timeline. Everyone knows how persistent I can be, so I also called the Brewery. The nice woman on the phone informed me that the Chicago area was going to get the first shipment (I know, what the hell, right?) and if someone from the South Bend area wants some, they are better off making a trip to the brewpub.

Once I hear it's coming to the South Bend area (and after I get my share), I'll let you all know.

1st Annual "The Beer Is Good At Fiddler's Hearth" Craft Beer Party!

We invite you to raise a glass to the rambling and rambunctious craft beer community of South Bend and beyond! Come on down to Fiddler's Hearth on November 5th for the 1st Annual collaboration craft beer party between Fiddler's and The Beer Is Good!

This event features great specialty beers that you wouldn't normally see on tap in this area, vintage brews, and surprise tappings all day long. We have an amazing lineup of beer ready for the Craft Beer crowd to enjoy! Also included will be delicious food specials, free brewery schwag, and a chance to socialize with your fellow craft beer geek.

Just to wet your appetite for the great beer we will have, Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti (Imperial Stout, 9.5%) will be on tap for as long as it lasts, and it only gets better from there!

Check out the Facebook Event Page for further information and to RSVP!

Zombie Dust tap update

Just a quick note for those that don't follow our twitter and facebook feeds. The Mark Dine and Tap on Eddy Street in South Bend has 3 Floyds Zombie Dust and Dreadnaught on tap.

Go get some, but please save a pint for me!

Michiana beer update... (Bare Hands, Zombie Dust, Liquor Cabinet)

I don't generally like to mash a bunch of updates into one post, but they are pretty short and tomorrow is the College Football opener, so my interest in doing anything but watching ESPN is pretty low. So with that said....

• Liquor Cabinet in Saint Joseph recieved two cases of Bell's Oracle. If you missed out in the South Bend area, go get you some. Two bottle limit. They also have 6 bottles of Founders Blushing Monk left. It's in the back, so don't delay.

• Spoke with The Mark earlier today regarding Zombie Dust. They have the keg in their cooler (I asked if I could visit it, surprisingly they said yes) but are waiting to kick 3 Floyds APW, then they will put on Dreadnaught, and then Zombie Dust. My guess is that it will be in at least a week, if not two or more.

• Also spoke with Bar Louie regarding Zombie Dust. Still waiting to kick Dreadnaught. I'm going to need you all to stop by there, get tanked on the stuff to get ZD moved into the lineup quicker. Do it for America.

• Chris at Bare Hands Brewery in Granger mentioned he finally received his federal license. He's going to start brewing batches next week and stocking up for a mid-October opening. He will also be at the Potawatomi Zoo Brew with the following lineup, so that would be a great opportunity to give his beer a try. You will not be disappointed (unless you are a moron (my words, not his)).
  
  
  1. Cream Ale
  2. Hefeweizen
  3. IPA
  4. Belgian Double
  5. Imperial Porter
  6. Double IPA
  7. Barleywine